Flyers Takeaways: Owen Tippett’s Goal Rescues Win Without Torts

The Philadelphia Flyers rebounded from an ugly loss as they huffed and puffed to a 3-2 win Tuesday over lowly San Jose at the Wells Fargo Center.

It wasn’t artistic, but the Flyers were able to outlast the worst-in-the-NHL Sharks. Philly was coming off Saturday’s 7-0 defeat in Tampa.

With 14:51 left in regulation and San Jose called for a delayed penalty, Owen Tippett knocked in a gorgeous cross-ice pass from Travis Konecny to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. It was Tippett’s seventh shot of the night and just his second goal in the last 10 games.

“It definitely wasn’t our greatest game, but we’re doing what we can to get points,” Konecny said.

Here are some observations:

The Flyers, playing without coach John Tortorella, lacked zip for two periods.

Tortorella, suspended for two games after a meltdown in Tampa, watched from the press level. In his place, Brad Shaw and Rocky Thompson guided the team.

“It’ll be seamless,” Tortorella said before the game.

It wasn’t. The penalty kill struggled. The team lacked discipline. And the Flyers were second on too many loose pucks.

To their credit, the Flyers (34-24-8) turned things around with a dominating third period, sending San Jose’s record to 16-41-7. Philly had a 15-9 shots advantage in the third.

Farabee strikes early

Joel Farabee put the Flyers ahead as he scored on a breakaway with 16:31 left in the opening period. It was just his second goal in the last 19 games.

Morgan Frost’s creative flip pass sent Farabee alone on goalie Magnus Chrona, who took a 4.59 GAA into the game.

After San Jose tied it at 1-1, Frost’s power-play goal gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead midway through the second period. It was his 10th goal of the season and first in 12 games.

“These are huge points for us and I think we have to come out with a little more urgency (in the third period),” Frost said after the second period ended in a 2-2 tie.

Peep this pass from @_morganfrost_10 to spring @FarabeeJoel! 🛸 pic.twitter.com/wDHAFKtC7R

— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2024

Flyers lack discipline

The Flyers lacked discipline as they gave San Jose five power plays in the first 32 minutes. The pesky Sharks converted on two of them — both goals were scored by Filip Zadina — to forge into a 2-2 tie.

Suddenly, the Philadelphia Flyers’ penalty kill — which is second in the NHL — is faltering. Badly. If you’re scoring at home, they  have allowed five power-play goals over the last two games. That’s their worst two-game stretch this season.

The Flyers regrouped and did not allow another power play in the final 28 minutes.

Frost on fire. #SJSvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/wZYxtMa5wi

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 13, 2024

Call it a payback.

The Flyers avenged an embarrassing 2-1 loss Nov. 7 in San Jose. The Sharks, you may recall, had started the season with 11 straight losses before jolting the Flyers.

In Tuesday’s game, the third-place Flyers finally took control in the third period and moved four points ahead of the Islanders in the Metro. The Isles have two games in hand.

Bottom line: This was a game the Flyers could not afford to lose.

Flyers taking care of business against lightweights.

The early-season loss to San Jose aside, the Flyers have done a good job beating the teams they are supposed to beat. Tuesday’s victory made them 20-10-4 against teams currently out of a playoff sport. Philly is 14-14-4 against playoff teams.

Up next: The season’s biggest challenge.

Call it the Scary Seven.

The Flyers’ next seven games are against teams in the NHL’s top-10: Toronto, Boston, Toronto again, Carolina, Boston again, Florida and the New York Rangers.

If they can get through that stretch and still be in a playoff spot they should be headed to the postseason because the schedule gets relatively easy in their last nine games.

Breakaways

Frost, Konecny and Cam York each had two points. … Tippett, who now has 23 goals, finished with eight shots. … Garnet Hathaway had 11 hits. … San Jose’s Zadina  tied it at 1-1 with a first-period power-play goal, which was scored after an obvious interference call on Luke Kunin (against York) was somehow missed by the officials.  An unwise penalty by Tyson Foerster gave San Jose the PP. … Defenseman Egor Zamula returned to the lineup — he was paired with Erik Johnson — after missing the previous game with the flu. … Philly is now 22-14-7 with Bobby Brink in the lineup; they are 12-10-1 without him. .Brink hit the right post with a second-period shot. … Rookie Sam Ersson stopped 27 of 29 shots. He made his best save when he turned aside Alexander Barabanov, who came in alone, with 15:45 remaining and the game tied at 2-2. “He’s stepped up big for us all year,” Tippett said. “He’s been a rock,” Frost added. …  Cam Atkinson, goal-less in his last 15 games, was a healthy scratch. … The Flyers host Toronto on Thursday…. On Sunday, the Flyers Charities Carnival will be held at the Wells Fargo Center; doors open at 10:30 a.m.

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