Are You Ready For The Next 15 Years Of This?

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Nashville Predators in a thriller Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center by a score of 2-1. In a game where it seemed the referee’s didn’t want the Flyers to win, they somehow found a way to win.




Jake Voracek opened the scoring for the Flyers. His 4th goal in his last 10 games. Claude Giroux would get the game winner. Shooting instead of passing on a 2v1.

Carter Hart stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced to earn the victory. His second career win in as many games started.

Flyers showed tremendous relentless pushback, fight, and energy in game 2 of the new era. Scott Gordon improves to 2-0-0 behind the Flyers bench.

Here are 4 more observations from the Flyers 2-1 win over the Predators…




Carter Hart To The Rescue

If game 1 was an appetizer for what Carter Hart could do. Tonight was the 5-star dinner. Tonight, Carter Hart showed Flyers fans what they have to look forward to for the next 15 years.

After earning his first career win Tuesday against the Red Wings, Hart followed it up with an 31-save performance against one of the Western Conferences best. A night that Hart had to make 8 short-handed saves, including 3 on a 2:58 5v3 power-play for the Predators to end the 2nd period.

Hart, you could say, was thrown right into the mess the Flyers have right now. But, this isn’t something the Flyers are trying to do to sink or swim the kid. NO. Far from it.

After starting his pro-career slow with the Phantoms, Carter Hart performed and earned his call-up. Now, Hart may be earning his roster spot on the Flyers for the next 15 years. Hart is the goalie the Flyers have needed since Ron Hextall left. Now, that Hart is here, its go time for the Flyers.




Penalty Kill Oscar Worthy Performance

Before Scott Gordon was promoted to the interim Flyers head coach, he was the head coach of the Phantoms. A team that had the AHL’s 2nd best penalty kill. Now, the Flyers penalty kill has been hot lately. However, tonight, Gordon’s influence and help, propelled the Flyers penalty kill to a perfect 6 for 6 performance.

Coming into tonight, the Flyers penalty kill has been riding a 38 for 48 streak (79.2%). Which is about a 7% jump from their year average of 72%. Tonight, the turnaround continued with oscar-worthy, 6 for 6 performance, including a 2:58 stretch of 5v3.

In Gordon’s time with the Flyers, the penalty kill is 8 of 9 in 2 games. But, as stated above, the best Flyers penalty killer was Carter Hart. Making save after save in pressure situations.

However, the Flyers penalty kill looks more active. More aggressive in the zone. Which is a testament to Scott Gordon’s style. But, the other noticeable impact is the blocked shots. The Flyers blocked 11 shots on the penalty kill. Saving their goalie to make a big save when needed.




Travis Sanheim

Travis Sanheim seemed to be in former head coach, Dave Hakstol, doghouse. Playing less than 14:00 mins a night. Paired on the Flyers bottom pairing. Everything just wasn’t adding up for Sanheim in Hakstol’s system.

However, in game 2 of the Scott Gordon era, Sanheim was called into the Flyers #1 defense role in the absence of Ivan Provorov due to a 10-minute misconduct. It was during that time that Sanheim showed what he is capable of, a top-pairing two-way defenseman.

The best of the showing coming with under 3 minutes left in the 2nd period. With Provorov serving his 10-minute misconduct, Radko Gudas and Andrew MacDonald both in the penalty box, Gordon needed another defenseman to pair with Robert Hagg to kill off the Predators 2-minute 5v3. Sanheim and Hagg both would contribute 2 blocks each and help the Flyers penalty-kill kill off the 5v3.

Sanheim would end the night with the Flyers highest TOI out of the defenseman. Tie Robert Hagg for most blocks on the night with 5 apiece. The only bad thing on Sanheim’s line for the night is his -1 rating. Which was the Predators only goal of the night on a lucky bounce in-front. Nothing Sanheim or goalie Carter Hart could do.

Whether it is his play of late or just a faith Scott Gordon has for Sanheim from his time with the Phantoms, Travis is making the most of the opportunity. Everybody loved the Gostisbehere-Provorov pairing last season. Well, get used to a Sanheim-Provorov pairing because these two could be paired together for a long time.




Horrible Officiating

You can never blame the referee’s for losing a game. But, you can blame them for having a bigger impact on the game than they should.

Tonight, the Flyers seemed on the wrong end of every single call the referee’s made. Oh, wait, thats right, they were. Almost every call tonight went against the Flyers.

The Flyers were whistled for 6 penalties tonight. Three of which shouldn’t have been called. Three penalties that were weaker than weak and made because of the embellishment by the Predators player.

In the end it didn’t cost the Flyers the game. However, that game was alot closer because of the referee’s impact on the game. Including missing a defintion of the rule boarding penalty on Predators Ryan Johansen. Johansen, literally in-front of referee Eric Furlatt, took Sean Couturier numbers first into the board to no call.

The referee’s tried to make the Flyers lose tonight. However, a 20-year-old rookie and a determined Flyers team wasn’t going to allow that to happen.




Result : Flyers 2 – Predators 1, WIN

Record : 14 – 15 – 4

Next Game : Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia PA, NBCSports Philadelphia 1:00pm