3 keys for Flyers in Game 3 vs. surprising Montreal Canadiens

The top-seeded Flyers, trying to rebound from Friday’s 5-0 loss, will face eighth-seeded Montreal in Game 3 Sunday night in Toronto.

The best-of-seven series is tied at one win apiece.

Here are three keys for the Flyers in the matchup:

1. Come up with an answer to the Canadiens’ speed and forecheck.

Montreal’s forecheck made it difficult for the Flyers to come out of their own end in Game 2.

“There’s no doubt (about) that, and I’m not going to get into specific details, but all parts of their game were running on all cylinders,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said of the Canadiens. “They made us look a step behind. They were the much better team. We’re definitely going to have to respond. I’m confident that’s what we’re going to do.”

The Flyers need to get their forecheck working — it was one of the trademarks to their success this season — and be the attacking team in Game 3. In other words, play looser and don’t give Montreal so much respect.

2. Get traffic in front of Montreal goalie Carey Price and ruin his birthday.

Price, who turned 33 today, had a rather easy shutout Friday. The Flyers had a decent amount of shots (30), but most were from the perimeter. They even made things easy for Price during a five-on-three power play.

“We weren’t good enough in that department, as far as getting to the front of their net,” Vigneault said. “It’s something our players are very aware of.”

Price has a 1.46 goals-against average and .954 save percentage in six postseason games — four against Pittsburgh, two against the Flyers.

In the first two games of this series, Price has a ridiculous .967 save percentage. That’s because he stops what he sees, simple as that.

3. Get their big guns to start producing.

The Flyers’ top five regular-season goal scorers – Travis Konecny (24 goals), Kevin Hayes (23), Sean Couturier (22), Claude Giroux (21), and James van Riemsdyk (19) -- have yet to score in five postseason games. They have contributed in other ways -- the Flyers are 4-1 in the postseason -- but they need to get their offense in gear if they are going to win their first playoff series since 2012.

“You need your top players to be driving the bus,” Vigneault said after Friday’s lopsided loss.

Konecny is questionable for Sunday’s game because of an apparent ankle injury.

Giroux, now 32, has just one goal, four assists and a minus-11 rating in his last 17 postseason games dating back to 2015-16.

Earlier in his career, he was a dominating playoff performer. All told, he has 24 goals, 66 points, and a plus-4 rating in 74 career playoff games.