Flyers Analysis: Team Shows a Step Forward in Tough Loss

It can feel weird for a loss to show progress, but that’s what we saw in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.

There was plenty to take away from Wednesday night’s game. Certainly, there were some negative takeaways. However, there were just as many, if not more, positive takeaways.

The Philadelphia Flyers took on a good hockey team in the Edmonton Oilers. It can be a challenging task keeping Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl relatively quiet, yet they did.

If it were not for a handful of mistakes, the game could have ended very differently.

Let’s look at some key takeaways from Wednesday night’s game.

Read More: Heartbreak: Flyers’ Late Goal Overturned, Fall 2-1 in Overtime vs. Oilers

Flyers give up a slot chance, look what happens

Let’s start with a negative.

The Philadelphia Flyers have been very, very good at keeping the opposition to the perimeter and allowing few shots to come from the slot. So, naturally, the Oilers score from the high slot on Wednesday.

Both Edmonton goals on Wednesday came from areas the Flyers have been generally good at keeping players out of.

The chart from Natural Stat Trick is a perfect description. While the Flyers did do a good job at keeping Edmonton out of that middle slot, and even the high slot for the most part, the Oilers had many chances on the doorstep.

Part of the reason the Flyers’ goaltending has been so good this season is that the defense has not made it too hard on them. On Wednesday, it was Dan Vladar who helped out the defense.

Vladar’s best game as a Flyer?

I feel like it’s not too far of a stretch to say that this could have very well been Dan Vladar’s best game as a Flyer.

Vladar has had games with a higher number of saves as well as better save percentages, but in those games, it still feels like the defense helped him out. On Wednesday, it was the opposite.

No, Dan Vladar did not make any flashy, highlight reel stops. What he did do was stop the pucks he was supposed to. I am sure he would love to have the first goal back, but what was he supposed to do when Evan Bouchard fires an uncontested missile? The same goes for Jack Roslovic’s game-winner. Sure, Vladar could have lunged cross-crease and made a SportsCenter Top-Ten save after Savoie’s pass. But what was he supposed to do in that instance?

The Flyers’ netminder stopped 30 of 32 shots, posting a .938 SV% in the game. He improved his season statistics by 0.02 in each category. Vladar now boasts a .919 SV% and a 2.15 GAA.

Flyers’ matchup centers keep McDavid and Draisaitl to a minimum

There was a lot of talk about Noah Cates and his usage vs. Connor McDavid before Wednesday’s game. When McDavid only picked up an assist, even if it was a primary one, that is a job well done by the defensive matchups.

Leon Draisaitl was held off the scoresheet entirely.

Cates did his job as advertised. Sean Couturier also played a sound defensive game. However, there was one player who was not talked about as much. That would be Christian Dvorak.

Dvorak took shifts at five-on-five against both McDavid and Draisaitl, but also played a key role in the penalty kill’s success against the lethal Oilers’ power play. The Flyers did a good job keeping the Oilers’ weapons to a minimum, and Dvorak played a big role in that.

Small wins in a heartbreaking loss

It’s no secret that the Flyers are outplaying their expectations this season. For the first time, it feels like it’s been recognized.

“Everybody expected us to be in last place. So I gotta get these guys a lot of credit, I am proud,” said Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

Tocchet recognized that it was a lot, and there are plenty of things to clean up, but also that there was a lot of good to build on from the game. One thing that stood out was the net-front presence, which was evident on both Matvei Michkov’s power-play goal and Travis Konecny’s redirected goal that was called back.

Defensively, the Flyers did a good job keeping both McDavid and Draisaitl to a minimum. The Flyers hung with a very good hockey team. Despite the loss, Tocchet said it is good for the team to learn from playing in these tight games.

Despite the loss, the final thirty minutes or so of regulation were some of the best hockey I have watched from this team this season. There was plenty of good to take from it.

Read More: Flyers Activate Winger, Loan Grundstrom to AHL Ahead of Wednesday’s Game