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The Flyers’ Travis Konecny didn’t want credit for that goal anyhow | On the Fly

It was a triumphant return for Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick, while Joel Farabee joined an exclusive list Wednesday.

Nolan Patrick, in his first game in nearly two years, and Kevin Hayes (center) scored goals to help make a winner of goalie Carter Hart.
Nolan Patrick, in his first game in nearly two years, and Kevin Hayes (center) scored goals to help make a winner of goalie Carter Hart.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Good start for the Flyers, getting goals by six players Wednesday night. When two of those players — Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick — scored, it put a palpable charge into the Flyers bench. Shame that the pandemic denied Flyers fans from seeing it in person. Would have been spectacular.

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— Ed Barkowitz (flyers@inquirer.com)

Oskar Lindblom, Nolan Patrick give the Flyers a lift

Travis Konecny originally was credited for the goal that put the Flyers up, 5-3. Sean Couturier threw the puck on net, a four-car pileup ensued in front of Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, and Konecny appeared to whack it past Jarry and the flood of bodies. Konecny, who did not score a goal in the playoff games against the Canadiens and Islanders over the summer, was asked if getting one Wednesday was a relief.

“If you watch the highlight,” Konecny said, “it goes off Oskar’s head and into the net. I’d rather him get one tonight. It’s well-deserved.”

Sure enough, about two hours after the game, NHL official scorers changed the goal and gave it to Lindblom.

It was Lindblom’s first game at the Wells Fargo Center in more than a year. The fourth-year pro was up on the first line centered by Couturier, and his presence was by no means ceremonial. Lindblom delivered three hits and blocked a team-high three shots, including one on a penalty kill that left him limping briefly.

But there was one thing missing, according to his coach. Actually, there were 17,000 things missing.

“He didn’t get a chance to play in front of Flyers fans giving him the great [ovation] and love that he deserves for coming back after battling cancer,” coach Alain Vigneault lamented. “It would have been phenomenal to have this place full of fans for when he stepped on the ice in the starting lineup.”

Lindblom’s first home game in 403 days wasn’t the only triumphant return.

You should have seen the look on Konecny’s face when he was asked about Nolan Patrick. Patrick, who missed all of last season because of migraines, also scored a goal Wednesday night. It went off his butt or nicked his stick, but he deflected it enough to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead late in the first.

“It’s been pretty fun watching Patty,” said Konecny, one of Patrick’s closest friends on the team. “He is in a really, really good spot right now. It’s just good to see him having fun again and not worrying about all the stats and how he is going to play when he comes back. He is just having fun playing hockey.”

Patrick centered a line with James van Riemsdyk and Jake Voracek. They were on the ice when Pittsburgh’s third line notched its two goals, so he was a minus-2 for the evening. But, as Konecny said, Patrick’s first game at the Wells Fargo Center in 654 days goes beyond the statistics.

He was the best player in the brief minicamp and was solid Wednesday.

“I just gave him a big hug,” Konecny said. “It’s so good to see him back out here. No matter what happens, it’s nice having him around the locker room, you know? He’s a funny guy, and he brings a lot of energy to the room. Regardless of what he did tonight, his presence just lifts our team.”

Things to know

  1. Joel Farabee dazzles in Flyers win over Pittsburgh

  2. Mike Sielski checks in with Farabee’s college coach after the kid’s career night

  3. Photo gallery from a unique opening night at the Wells Fargo Center

  4. Good start for Erik Gustafsson in first game as a Flyer

  5. Three reasons why the Flyers wake up today 1-0

  6. You want Gritty? We got Gritty.

  7. Video: Wayne Simmonds throws some haymakers in his debut for Toronto on Wednesday

Joel’s company

Farabee on Wednesday became the 10th player in team history to register a four-point night before his 21st birthday, according to NHL Stats and Information. Here’s the group he joined:

  1. Bill Barber, Nov. 4, 1972, 1 goal, 3 assists: Barber had 64 points in 69 games in his rookie season. He went on to a Hall of Fame career.

  2. Tom Bladon, Feb. 9, 1973, 4 assists: Bladon, the only defenseman on this list, had an eight-point game in 1977; a team record that still stands.

  3. Mel Bridgman, Feb. 7, 1976, 1 goal, 3 assists: The No. 1 overall pick in 1975, Bridgman was a rookie on the two-time Stanley Cup champions. “He’ll be OK,” Fred Shero said after the game, “once he opens his mouth and calls for the puck.”

  4. Brian Propp, Oct. 20, 1979, 2 goals, 2 assists: This was Game No. 3 of the 35-game unbeaten streak. The only players in Flyers history with more points than Propp are Barber and Bobby Clarke.

  5. Rick Tocchet, March 10, 1985, 4 assists: Lenny Hachborn (two goals), Murray Craven and Lindsay Carson scored the goals on which Tocchet assisted.

  6. Mike Ricci, Feb. 15, 1992, 1 goal, 4 assists: Ricci had a decent NHL career, but he’s best remembered for being drafted by the Flyers with the fourth overall pick in 1990. The Penguins took Jaromir Jagr with the next pick. Ricci played two seasons here before being shipped to Quebec in the Eric Lindros deal.

  7. Lindros, Nov. 15, 1992, 3 goals, 1 assist: It was the first hat trick for Lindros, who was 19 at the time. He and his “Crazy Eights” linemates had 12 points in a 7-2 win against visiting Ottawa.

  8. Lindros, Jan. 19, 1994, 3 goals, 1 assist: Lindros did all his damage in the first period. “We don’t see very much of him in person, and basically he went out and won the game for them early,” St. Louis coach Bob Berry said.

  9. Couturier, Dec. 4, 2013, 2 goals, 2 assists: Couturier was centering a line with Matt Read and Steve Downie.

  10. Patrick, Jan. 14, 2019, 2 goals, 2 assists: Patrick broke out of a 24-game goal drought in a big way.

Important dates

Tomorrow: Pittsburgh at Flyers, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)

Monday: Buffalo at Flyers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSP)

Tuesday: Buffalo at Flyers, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)

Thursday, Jan. 21: Flyers at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)

Saturday, Jan. 23: Flyers at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)

From the mailbag

Question: What’s going to happen with Ghost? Deadline trade bait or do you see him having a role this year? — Michael Wysocki via Twitter (@MikeWysocki8189)

Answer: I never loved the idea of trading Shayne Gostisbehere when he was younger, but if the Flyers are in the hunt in late March/early April and can flip him for a goal scorer, I would consider it. They have Mark Friedman as insurance for this season and a couple of kids on the way (Egor Zamula, Cam York) for beyond. Gostisbehere has two more years left on his contract after this season, but he can’t afford another lost campaign. He will turn 28 in April and has high-end offensive skills when healthy.

Now who will be available, and at what cost, is the trickier part.

Thanks for writing, Mike. Dig that Twitter profile pic.

Send questions or observations by email or on Twitter to (@EdBarkowitz or @broadstbull), and they could appear in a future edition.