Flyers takeaways from win over Bruins: Building chemistry with blocks, a Sam Ersson gem, and more

BOSTON ― The Flyers last won in Boston during regulation 4,772 days ago. The last time they shut out the Bruins was 6,875 days ago.

The first one came on Oct. 6, 2011, when Sean Couturier debuted after the Bruins raised their Stanley Cup banner and Jake Voráček scored the game-winner. The second was Jan. 2, 2006, when Antero Niittymäki made 27 saves and Jeff Carter scored the lone goal.

Tuesday night’s 2-0 win was a long time coming. And, after a rough start, including a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday when the score was not indicative of how disconnected the Flyers played, it was well worth the wait.

“I think this is kind of like one of those wins where we kind of get a little bit of our swagger back,” said goalie Sam Ersson.

Maybe. As coach John Tortorella said, it‘s tough to predict what will happen in the future and if this will get his group rolling. But these three reasons for the win against the Bruins can only help.

Before you read further, no, the Flyers did not pour on the shots; they managed only 18 on Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo. But they did block a lot of shots by the Bruins — something they hadn’t done in a while.

Through their first nine games, the Flyers blocked 148 shots, an average of 16.26 per game, with each category ranking in the middle of the NHL pack. In the last five games, it was 13.8 blocks per game, with the 22 blocks in the 7-5 win over Minnesota marking the only time the team got in front of more than 12 during that stretch. That was the only win, too. The Flyers blocked 28 against the Bruins on Tuesday.

Eating pucks is entrenched in the DNA of Tortorella‘s team. It was a driving force behind the Flyers’ successes last season. They finished the season No. 2 in the league with an average of 18.48 blocked shots per game. Defenseman Nick Seeler finished fifth individually, and would have finished higher but for an injury sustained from, what else, a blocked shot.

Blocking shots is part of this team’s identity.

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“That’s the way we play,” Tortorella said. “We play a type of defense that we expect everybody to block shots. I think it, as I’ve said to [the media] all the time, I think it creates a camaraderie within the group, and for us to stay afloat in the league, that’s how we have to play as a team and that’s a huge part of a foundation of playing as a team.”

Of the 18 skaters on Tuesday, 12 blocked at least one shot. Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Sean Couturier, and, of course, Seeler, led the way with four apiece. Two of the blocks — one by Seeler and one by Couturier — came during an 84-second five-on-three for the Bruins.

There’s no denying the Bruins’ talent, and to keep them off the board was a team effort. David Pastrňák had five of his attempts blocked and Brad Marchand had four. With 37 seconds left in the game and the Flyers leading 1-0 on a goal by Tyson Foerster, and before Joel Farabee scored his empty-netter, Ryan Poehling blocked a shot by Pastrňák.

“I think this is kind of how we build chemistry, like between the defense and me,” Ersson said. “Knowing what shots they are going to block and what shots they can leave to me and clear out rebounds. There were a lot of scrums with pucks in front of the net that we do a good job of just not allowing them to win the puck. So a lot of good things.”

Ersson held the Bruins at bay, stopping all 23 shots, with his tactician-like focus and demeanor.

“The team likes playing in front of him, and it’s such a unique position as far as what a goaltender does for a team psyche. Sam has done that pretty steady for us,” Tortorella said. “You look at the minutes of all the players, everybody contributed in certain situations. Sam made some big saves at key times to keep us there.”

Did he flinch when he made a post-to-post save on Elias Lindholm, one of the center’s five shots on goal in the game, in the first period?

Nope.

Did he falter as Boston‘s top guys poured on shots during the five-on-three — including an open slapper by Pastrňák — or one of their three other power plays? Nope.

Did he panic when Marchand intercepted his pass behind the net and his centering of the puck caromed somehow into the crease and rolled along the goal line? Not at all.

“Guys want to play in front of him,” forward Scott Laughton said, echoing Tortorella. “He’s a great human being, and he cares. He works, and you want to play in front of guys like that. He was outstanding tonight.”

Last season, when Emil Andrae was sent down to Lehigh Valley after skating in four NHL games, he believed he could show more than he did. On Tuesday night he did just that.

“I feel pretty comfortable. It’s my second year, too, so a little confident, more around the hockey and all that — and especially the guys, too. I know them better now, so I feel comfortable," Andrae said.

Skating in his second game this season, Andrae was noticeable at both ends of the ice. He played 14 minutes, 20 seconds at all strengths, including being on the penalty kill during the five-on-three for Boston. The one shot he blocked was by Matt Poitras in front of the net, preserving the Flyers’ lead.

Andrae says he’s “not a huge fighter” — but does have some grit and, according to Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière, “for a little guy, he‘s not the biggest guy, but he loves to throw those big hits.” And he‘s someone who won’t back down. In the third period, he battled with — and threw a punch at — Poitras, who has at least two inches on him, with both players earning roughing minors. “I’m just trying to stick up for myself and play hard. So that’s what I did,” he said.

But his biggest contribution of the night was being a driving force on the Flyers’ first goal, the game-winner, giving him his first NHL point.

The blueliner sent a stretch pass from the Flyers’ end up to the forwards stacking the line. After Foerster missed his initial shot of the sequence wide, Andrae got to the left boards to snag the wraparound and feed the winger in the high slot. Foerster made no mistake, turning and firing one through Korpisalo’s five-hole.

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“We had reloads,” Foerster said of the team’s puck recovery. “The D were coming down the wall, even on my goal, [Owen Tippett] was reloading. Frosty was reloading. … Emil, he had some poise on the puck, and then he was able to find me. So just the reloads, for sure.”

With Cam York on injured reserve, Andrae is getting a chance to show what he can do.

And while Tortorella said pregame he doesn’t believe in sandwiching two positives and a negative, he did just that postgame when speaking on the Swedish defenseman.

“He’s full of life, and he makes plays,” Tortorella said. “I think it was late in the second period, we were up by a goal, he just kind of throws one in the slot and they turn around and counter on us. I think he’s got to understand situational play.

“The more he’s with us, he’s going to get that type of coaching. But he makes a great play to Tyson. We know that about him. He’s not afraid to try to make plays. We’re just going to have to coach him at certain times in situations, of maybe just making simple things and just fighting another day.”