Observations from the Flyers’ loss to Boston
The Flyers had 25 shots on goal in the second period, and 42 overall. Claude Giroux was among the three players who did not have a shot all night.
The Flyers dominated the second period Tuesday night in a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins. Boston fans hadn’t seen that many shots since Andrew Toney was torturing the Celtics in the early ‘80s. Only difference is only two of the Flyers shots went in.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy delivered a pointed message to his team during the second intermission after it gave up 25 shots on goal. The only reason the game was tied was because Jeremy Swayman played like Martin Brodeur in his NHL debut.
“It was about this young guy playing in his first NHL game basically standing on his head to keep us in the game,” Cassidy said. “The guys [in our locker room] who have NHL talent needed to provide NHL effort with that talent. And guys who aren’t quite at the same level of talent had to work on their NHL execution. We asked for more, and I thought we got it.”
Shot to the heart
Perhaps the hardest thing to believe about the Flyers’ 42 shots on goal is that Claude Giroux had zero. The Flyers had another 35 that either missed the net (16) or were blocked (19). Giroux didn’t have any of those, either. Here’s a breakdown:
Goals (2nd period): Shayne Gostisbehere, Jake Voracek,
Shots on goal (game, 42): Kevin Hayes 5, Scott Laughton 4, Travis Sanheim 4, Gostisbehere 4, Voracek 4, Sean Couturier 3, Oskar Lindblom 3, Ivan Provorov 3, James van Riemsdyk 3, Nicolas Aube-Kubel 2, Travis Konecny 2, Joel Farabee 2, Samuel Morin 1, Phil Myers 1, Michael Raffl 1, Justin Braun 0, Claude Giroux 0, Justin Braun 0.
Shots on goal (2nd period, 25): Couturier 3, Hayes 3, Laughton 3, Sanheim 3, Voracek 3, Gostisbehere 2, Provorov 2, van Riemsdyk 2, Farabee 1, Konecny 1, Morin 1, Raffl 1.
Shots on goal (3rd period, 4): Aube-Kubel (16:44 remaining), Voracek (7:51 remaining), Lindblom (1:59 remaining), Gostisbehere (:32 remaining).
» READ MORE: Playoff hopes dim after sloppy third period leads to loss against Boston
The scrum
Toward the end of the third period and with the Flyers on the power play and the goalie pulled, Giroux dumped the puck into Boston’s zone. It settled into the corner to the left of Swayman, where Boston defenders Kevan Miller and Jeremy Lauzon, with a little help from Patrice Bergeron, kept the puck pinned along the boards as Couturier, Voracek, Konecny and Giroux flailed helplessly.
Boston killed off 27 demoralizing seconds.
The Flyers have now lost six games to Boston this season. They were blown out in two, but held the lead in the third period in three others and had major momentum heading into the third period Tuesday. Imagine if they would have won two of those games.
» READ MORE: Steve Falk's photo gallery off Tuesday's game
You’re killing me
The Flyers have allowed 10 power-play goals in 20 opportunities (50.0%) in their seven games against the Bruins. Their other six opponents are 21-for-94, which is still a mediocre 77.7% kill rate.
The 10 Bruins power-play goals against the Flyers: Bergeron 5, David Pastrnak 2, Nick Ritchie 2, Brad Marchand 1.
Marchand delivered the killer blow Tuesday with a shorthanded goal in the third.