Flyers’ Brian Elliott, one of the NHL’s best No. 2 goalies, will start again Saturday vs. Penguins
At 35, the Flyers goaltender is at the top of his game and is not playing like a typical backup.
Lost in the shuffle of Claude Giroux’s heroics in the Flyers’ 4-3 comeback win Thursday in Pittsburgh: Brian Elliott’s flawless goaltending over the game’s final 56 minutes, 3 seconds.
Elliott, 35, who couldn’t be faulted for any of the Penguins’ three goals in the first 3:57 -- defensive breakdowns and a deflection off a teammate left him helpless -- is now 6-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
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In other words, he has become one of the NHL’s most reliable backup goaltenders.
“You know what you’re going to get from him every game,” Giroux said.
On Saturday afternoon, when the Flyers finish an unprecedented three-game series in Pittsburgh, Elliott will get his second straight start. Carter Hart will get the call Sunday night against Washington at the Wells Fargo Center, the team’s first home game before fans in about a year.
» READ MORE: Giroux’s goal gives Flyers a 4-3, comeback win over the Penguins
Elliott’s biggest stop Thursday was a glove save on Evgeni Malkin’s point-blank chance with 9:46 left in regulation, keeping the Flyers within 3-2.
Giroux did the rest, setting up Scott Laughton’s goal and then scoring the game-winner with 2:08 to go.
Laughton had a career-high 10 hits in the game while playing left wing on a revamped line with Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny.
Braun raises game
Since coming off the COVID-19 protocol list, Justin Braun has steadied the Flyers’ defense. He is plus-5 in the four games since returning, playing three games on the second pairing with Travis Sanheim, and being on the top pairing Thursday with Ivan Provorov.
Braun, 34, played a season-high 22:23 Thursday and was plus-2. He is a team-leading plus-9 for the season.
“It stinks when you’re quarantined, and you’re happy to be back and around the guys -- and I think that gives you a little extra energy to be back and doing what you love,” Braun said.
Before returning from contracting the coronavirus, Braun had been primarily used on the second or third pairings.
Sharp shooters
The Flyers have five players shooting at least 20% for the season: Konecny (25%), Laughton (22.2%), James van Riemsdyk (21.3%), Sean Couturier (20.7%), and Joel Farabee (20%).
Konecny had two assists and looked a lot more comfortable Thursday than on Tuesday, his first game back from the COVID-19 protocol.
“I felt better,” he said. “There are still times where I was a little bit out of breath and I had to take a little bit of a shorter shift to stay more fresh. It’s just going to take time and it’ll come back.”
Breakaways
Couturier has six goals and six assists during a career-high eight-game points streak. ... Hayes, who leads the Flyers with 53 shots, has just one goal in his last nine games. ... Elliott’s lone loss was a 2-1 decision to Boston, a game in which the Bruins erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring two goals in the final 7:59. ... The Flyers are 3-1 on the five-game trip.