PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers faced a familiar challenge during their recent matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, suffering a 3-2 overtime loss at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 7, 2023. Despite holding their own in five-on-five play, the Flyers once again faltered on the power play, failing to capitalize on three opportunities, registering only one shot in six minutes of man advantage.
This continued struggle with the power play has plagued the Flyers, who have gone just 5-for-38 in their last 16 games, resulting in a dismal success rate of 13.2 percent. This statistic places them 29th in the league during this stretch, a continuation of their difficulties under former coach John Tortorella, when they ranked 32nd, 32nd, and 30th in previous seasons.
The Flyers had a significant opportunity to seize the lead late in the third period when Brett Howden of the Golden Knights was assessed an elbowing penalty against Carl Grundstrom with 4:48 remaining in regulation. Following ineffective previous power plays, coach Rick Tocchet reshuffled his units, placing Noah Cates and Bobby Brink alongside Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny, with Jamie Drysdale on the point. Unfortunately, this combination failed to yield results, as Brink’s missed shot led to a near two-on-one rush for Vegas.
When asked about the adjustments, Tocchet responded, “Did you see the first two power plays? What would you have done?” He acknowledged the team’s overall performance, stating, “We had a good game, but the power play, we’re not getting middle shots. Other than Trevor, our flanks are having a tough time making a play. We’ve practiced it, and for some reason, under pressure, we kind of lose our bearings.”
In contrast, the Golden Knights capitalized on one of their two power plays, with Mark Stone scoring at 12:53 of the second period. Stone also netted the game-winner in overtime after Konecny turned the puck over to Jack Eichel, who assisted Stone for an easy goal at 2:47 of the extra session.
Despite the disappointing result, players like Travis Sanheim recognized the Flyers’ overall performance against a strong contender. Sanheim remarked, “Obviously, the power play has been struggling a little bit. We need to find a way to make a difference, especially in a tight game. They got one, so we had to even it out.”
The Flyers showed resilience, coming back from early deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to secure a point. After a turnover by Christian Dvorak led to the Golden Knights’ opening goal, the Flyers responded with a goal from Zegras, his 11th of the season. Dvorak later redeemed himself with an assist on a goal by Noah Juulsen, marking Juulsen’s first goal in 75 games.
Goalie Dan Vladar, who made 18 saves, noted the positive atmosphere among the team despite the loss. “There was that hunger and belief we’ve been talking about the whole year. I felt it in the intermissions,” he said.
Looking ahead, Tocchet expressed the need for improvement in the power play, stating, “We have to fix it somehow.” The Flyers will conclude their six-game homestand with back-to-back matches against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 9 and 10. With the Hurricanes being one of the league’s top teams at even strength, the Flyers must find a way to enhance their special teams if they hope to secure victories in these upcoming contests.
