5 Takeaways: Connor McDavid, Oilers Rally Past Flyers

With feisty right winger Travis Konecny missing from the lineup because of an unspecified upper-body injury, the Philadelphia Flyers were without their leading scorer Tuesday night in Edmonton.

Even without Konecny, the Flyers (23-26-10) led for most of the game before the Oilers (31-19-8) took over in the third period.

Edmonton 4, Flyers 2.

The Flyers, who finished 1-3 on the road trip, kept Connor McDavid in check until the third period, when he set up one goal and scored two others. He had seven of his nine shots in the third period.

“I thought the team laid it out there,” coach John Tortorella said of the Flyers. “I’m proud of the team.”

Edmonton avenged a 2-1 shootout loss to the Flyers two weeks in Philadelphia. In that game, the Flyers did not commit any penalties. They committed one late in Tuesday’s first period and Edmonton converted it into a goal. The Oilers tied the game in the third period on another power-play score.

“We did a great job five-on-five … but gave them too many chances on the power play,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said.

Here are five quick observations:

1. Edmonton showed off its league-best power play.

The Oilers went 2 for 4 with an extra skater, and tied the game at 2-2 on Leon Draisaitl’s power-play goal with 13:11 remaining in regulation. It was his 700th career point. McDavid helped set up the goal and collected his 800th career point.

About six minutes later, McDavid (43rd goal) crossed a pass that deflected off Sanheim and into the net to put the Oilers ahead, 3-2. It was their first lead of the night.

McDavid added an empty-net goal while the Philadelphia Flyers were on a six-on-four power play late in the game.

2. Thanks to the team’s defense, Carter Hart had a quiet night — for two periods.

The Flyers’ defense, led by Ivan Provorov, was so effective that Hart did not face many high-quality shots heading into the third period.  Edmonton managed just 10 shots in the first two periods, equaling its lowest 40-minute total of the season.

And remember, the Flyers were playing on back-to-back nights. Edmonton was rested.

“We’re playing simple, getting behind them, and getting on the forecheck,” right winger Owen Tippett said after the second period on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

But Edmonton had a 17-9 shots advantage in the third and wore down the visitors.

When tested in the first two periods, Hart was both good and fortunate.

With 3:02 left in the second, he robbed McDavid on a point-blank power-play chance.

Nearly two minutes later, McDavid beat Hart from the left circle, but his shot kissed off the inside of the right post.

3. Noah Cates got the Flyers off to a great start.

The rookie center got position on Draisaitl and beat goalie Stu Skinner with a wraparound, giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead midway through the opening period.

Cates has nine goals and 26 points in his first full season. Good numbers when you consider he has probably been the Flyers’ best defensive forward.

Need a goal? We Noah guy. #PHIvsEDM | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/XiwxjfrQtK

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 22, 2023

4. The Flyers played almost a perfect first period. Almost.

Philly had a huge territorial edge and controlled the opening period until …

Joel Farabee went to the penalty box for high sticking with six seconds left in the period. Three seconds later, Tyson Barrie put a power-play drive past a screened Hart, knotting the game at 1-1. It was Edmonton’s first shot in about 15 minutes.

The Flyers completely shut down McDavid and Draisaitl in the first, when they outshot the Oilers, 9-5.

Barrie buzzer beater 🚨 pic.twitter.com/VTaF1LbuZj

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 22, 2023

5. Veteran Kevin Hayes went back to his natural position, center.

Hayes had made 36 consecutive starts at wing before Tuesday, when he centered a line that included rookie Olle Lycksell and the struggling Farabee.

The line, minus Farabee, had a big shift to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead with 8:23 left in the second.

Lycksell won a board battle to keep the puck in the zone, and Hayes sent a perfect feed to Tippett (six shots), who tipped in his 16th goal of the season. Lycksell got the secondary assist and picked up his first NHL  point in six career games.

The other lines Tuesday: Cates centering Scott Laughton and Wade Allison; Morgan Frost centering James van Riemsdyk and Tippett; and Patrick Brown centering Nick Deslauriers and Kieffer Bellows.

Breakaways

Konecny will be re-evaluated when the Flyers return to Philadelphia on Wednesday, per GM Chuck Fletcher. He was injured Monday when checked by Calgary’s MacKenzie Weegar near the boards. … Lycksell’s double-minor for high-sticking set up Edmonton’s tying goal in the third. … Skinner robbed Tippett on a rebound attempt midway through the third to keep the game tied at 2-all. … After a one-game benching, Sanheim returned to the lineup and was on the top pairing with Provorov. Justin Braun was a healthy scratch. … It was the first time Hayes started a game at center since a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Nov. 25. … Philly’s league-worst PP was 0 for 3. … Laughton had 10 shot attempts, including five on goal. … Nick Seeler and Laughton each blocked four shots. … The Flyers host the injury-riddled Montreal Canadiens on Friday.

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