Flyers takeaways: Ivan Fedotov and Scott Laughton earn high marks despite OT loss to Maple Leafs

TORONTO ― The Flyers may have lost 3-2 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs but they finished up a five-game road trip after the holiday break with a 2-2-1 record.

They now head home for a matchup on Tuesday against ... the Maple Leafs.

Here are five things the Flyers should do at the Wells Fargo Center based on how Sunday’s game went.

» READ MORE: Flyers finish road trip with an overtime loss to the Maple Leafs

Fedotov made his first start since getting yanked on Dec. 5 against the Florida Panthers, when he allowed two goals on seven shots. John Tortorella wasn’t happy with the goaltender’s play and moved him to third on the depth chart behind Sam Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov.

But with Ersson hurt again and Kolosov continuing to struggle, Tortorella turned to the 28-year-old against the Leafs.

“He was put in a tough spot tonight, high marks for him,” Tortorella said. “I thought he played really well.”

While he gave up the overtime winner to Morgan Rielly, Fedotov did what he needed to do to get the Flyers a point. He made 22 saves on 25 shots despite looking a little rusty with his rebound control, especially when sending the puck back up the middle. The two goals he gave up in regulation were by guys open in front for rebounds, with Matthew Knies scoring from the left post and Oliver Ekman-Larsson poking one past Fedotov after a goalmouth scramble.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Fedotov made 20 saves on 22 shots at five-on-five, with the two goals coming from high-danger areas. He stopped all nine low-danger shots — an area where he struggled early in the season. The game-winner was a mid-danger shot.

“He was great. He was calm in his net,” forward Scott Laughton said. “He played the puck really well. He was good for us. He gave us a chance.”

That’s all you can ask for. Fedotov helped the Flyers get a needed point despite a few miscues, including one by Ryan Poehling when he made a drop pass inside the Flyers’ blue line that ultimately led to Knies’ goal. The Russian netminder is known for his ability to be a puck mover and he looked cool and calm leaving his net to play the puck and start the push up the ice.

“First couple minutes, yeah, felt like I had to try and find the rhythm of the game ... [and] try to find my routine,” Fedotov said. “But overall, feel good. I thank the team for [their] support. They played really well.”

Stop if you’ve heard this before: the line of Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, and Tyson Foerster is good.

How good were they on Sunday? Not only did they score the first goal of the game — by Foerster again — according to Natural Stat Trick at five-on-five they had 11 shot attempts to just four by the Leafs. It was the best Corsi For Percentage of any line on either team (73.3%) and they also produced five high-danger chances.

“They have played well for over five or six weeks,” Tortorella said “It’s an example for all our lines and they’re just playing with confidence and they just support one another very well.”

The Leafs have some crafty players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Knies that can bring speed and skill. On Sunday, they didn’t have much room.

Marner led the way for Toronto with six shot attempts while the Flyers had Rasmus Ristolainen and Owen Tippett with eight each. The Flyers put 32 shots on goal and held the Maple Leafs to 25.

Playing well down the middle of the ice was critical to the game plan against Toronto. Before the team’s optional skate at Scotiabank Arena, Tortorella pointed out they had just gotten done watching the tape of how well they played in the middle of the ice in the 5-2 loss on Thursday to the Vegas Golden Knights. By playing well down the middle, in the neutral and defensive zones, it slowed down the Leafs’ high-powered offense and allowed the Flyers to control the play, turn up the ice with speed — as one Leafs reporter said in the press box, the Flyers have some guys who can fly — and generate offense.

“Our arrivals and not spinning out and opening up the middle of the ice, as I’ve said every time I talk to you guys [the media], it’s much better,” Tortorella said. “For us to be able to stay above water here and try to just keep our wits here and and and try to find our offensive game, we have to continue working defensively. I think we’ve done a good job in the middle of the ice.”

There’s something to be said for scoring four goals in a game. And while some would say it was a flash in the pan for Laughton, the Flyers alternate captain has continued to build off that career highlight.

In the 10 games since, the Ontario native has eight points, all coming at even strength. Skating on a “follow line” with Brink and Sean Couturier after a Flyers power play that did not connect, Laughton scored backdoor off a cross-crease pass from the captain.

“I don’t know, a little bit of confidence, I think it helps,” said Laughton about what’s been different lately. “Pucks are going in, and skating with the puck and handling it well, and finding ways. So got to keep it going and help contribute to this team.”

With 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 40 games, Laughton is on pace to set a new career high in points (45) and tie his career high in goals (18). Each was set in 2022-23, Tortorella’s first year with the Flyers. Laughton’s also a key guy on the penalty kill and a defensive player that the bench boss can lean on late.

“I think he simplified things,” Tortorella said about Laughton’s past 12 games. “When he tries to do too much, I think that’s what ends up hurting him a little bit. One thing about Laughts, and he scores a goal there again, he goes to the areas. He had a great stick defensively late in the game, too. He’s been put into a bit of a utility role, bouncing around here, but if he’s simple and he’s straight ahead, he’s a very effective player.”

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Tortorella thought the game was one of the squad’s “better games playing forward.”

A coach who likes to run a 2-1-2 forecheck, where two guys are on the attack, the Flyers kept the Maple Leafs from building speed and momentum. In a physical game, the Flyers took 43 hits but also dolled out 33 with Ristolainen leading the way with five.

“Us checking and checking forward and just trying to take time in space and not letting them get revved up was important for us to stay in the game,” Tortorella said.

“The trip, I think we are .500, I thought in all five games we could have come away with points, so we just got to keep our wits about ourselves and keep on playing.”