Flyers vs. Blue Jackets: Travis Konecny leads youth-infused win

The Flyers’ entrance workplace needed to be happy with the membership’s youth Tuesday night time.

Led by a crop of gamers 25 years outdated or youthful, the Flyers recorded a 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets on the Wells Fargo Middle.

Travis Konecny buried a pair of fairly targets. Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett additionally discovered the again of the web for the Flyers, who entered scoring 2.41 targets per recreation, tied for the second fewest within the NHL.

Tippett’s second tally of the night time was a game-sealing empty-netter.

Carter Hart gave the Flyers a very good probability to win and received some overdue run assist.

John Tortorella’s crew has gained two of its final three video games, which is notable given it was 2-11-5 over its earlier 18 video games.

“All people desires outcomes. You’ll be able to’t decrease that,” Tortorella stated. “We at all times are making ready to win a hockey recreation. Gamers, that is all they wish to do is win. I’ve to, as the top coach of the crew, perceive a few of the conditions that some guys are in and the place possibly we get overwhelmed at occasions, I’ve received to ensure I hold persistence as we’re constructing. As a result of we’re constructing.

“However as you are constructing, whenever you method every recreation, you wish to win it. It is my job and my teaching employees’s job to ensure we deal with ourselves the correct manner. Gamers simply wish to play and win. We’ve got to manage circumstances in how we coach them once we’re not getting the outcomes.”

 

The Flyers (11-15-7) have scored three or extra targets in consecutive video games for the primary time since Oct. 27-29.

The Flyers are 1-1-1 towards the Blue Jackets (10-20-2). They do not see Columbus once more till April 11, the Flyers’ last house recreation of the common season.

• Listed here are the ages of the Flyers’ purpose scorers Tuesday night time:

• Konecny — 25
• Tippett — 23
• Frost — 23

Cam York, a 21-year-old and arguably the Flyers’ prime defensive prospect, recorded two assists.

The 22-year-old Joel Farabee, who had one level (an help) in his earlier 10 video games, recorded a helper and was a plus-3.

All of it got here towards a hobbled Columbus crew that performed the night time prior, however one that also has some fairly good gamers up entrance.

In a transitional season like this, the Flyers must get a radical learn on their youthful gamers. This was a very good night time for the group.

“We’ve got a younger crew, we’re counting on some fairly vital younger gamers,” Kevin Hayes stated. “Tonight they had been nice.”

• Johnny Gaudreau, the native product who was within the Flyers in the course of the offseason, has 5 factors (one purpose, 4 assists) towards Tortorella’s membership this season.

He had only one help Tuesday night time. The Flyers did a strong job towards the highest line of Gaudreau, Kent Johnson and Patrik Laine.

The trio mixed for 3 factors (one purpose, two assists) however the Flyers restricted the harm.

“I do not assume you cease Johnny Gaudreau,” Tortorella stated Tuesday morning.

“You have to be focused on him with simply his pace and his quickness so far as beating you 1-on-1 or carrying it via the impartial zone. However when it will get within the offensive zone, you have to fear about him, but additionally the opposite guys that he can make the most of as a result of he is that good.

“That line, excellent rush line. So we have to watch out concerning the center of the ice and on the lookout for folks that he’ll make the most of.”

• Hart has made 107 saves on 115 photographs over the past three video games.

The 24-year-old transformed 30 saves Tuesday night time.

In a span of two:43 minutes in the course of the second interval, Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson turned the Flyers’ 1-0 lead right into a 2-1 deficit.

However Frost and Tippett countered.

Columbus was lacking its Nos. 1 and a pair of goalies Elvis Merzlikins (sickness) and Joonas Korpisalo (decrease physique).

Daniil Tarasov, who was in internet the night time earlier than (32 saves on 33 photographs), stopped 34 of the Flyers’ 38 photographs. The 23-year-old was making his thirteenth profession NHL begin.

“That is the trouble we’re on the lookout for,” Konecny stated. “I assumed it was good, we received a lead, we went down, we battled again after which we closed it out. I assumed it was a extremely good effort from all people.”

• Konecny’s game-opening marker was a shorthanded one, the primary of his profession.

The play was all potential due to his pace and talent. Typically the higher PK models are those that may put stress on the opposing energy play, which is precisely what Konecny did, handing the Flyers a 1-0 lead at first intermission.

 

An actual constructive signal for the Flyers this season has been Konecny including PK tasks to his plate. Again in October, Tortorella famous how Konecny reminded him of Cam Atkinson, a purpose scorer who has had plenty of success at shorthanded.

Konecny’s second purpose was simply as spectacular. He danced via the Blue Jackets and backhanded a shot bar down. It cushioned the Flyers’ result in 4-2 simply 2:45 minutes into the third interval and turned out to be the game-winner.

Konecny owns a team-leading 14 targets via 27 video games and is on tempo for 30-plus. He had 16 in 79 video games final season.

“He is a bundle of vitality. I like that about him,” Tortorella stated. “With a bundle of vitality, there’s going to be some loopy stuff that occurs. I do not wish to over-coach him.

“Once we get to being a crew that’s competing in massive video games, playoffs and all that, once we get there as a crew, hopefully at the moment, he’ll prepared the ground so far as situational play. He is nonetheless a younger man on this recreation.”

• Basic supervisor Chuck Fletcher believed Hayes would respond well to being benched by Tortorella.

The 30-year-old ahead was high quality in his return to the lineup. He went scoreless in 14:25 minutes however was sound situationally. He’ll must proceed to earn Tortorella’s belief for extra minutes.

• Within the Flyers’ 6-3 loss Saturday to the Rangers, Tony DeAngelo confirmed rust after lacking the Flyers’ four-game street journey. He had three giveaways and a minus-5 mark in 24:26 minutes.

The 27-year-old defenseman was significantly better Tuesday. With the Flyers clinging to a 3-2 lead late within the second interval, DeAngelo broke up a Blue Jackets 2-on-1.

He performed a bodily recreation defensively and was energetic offensively with six photographs.

“He’s been banged up, he missed a recreation because of me, my decision, he has a family situation — there’s plenty of stuff happening there,” Tortorella stated Tuesday morning. “I do not wish to make excuses for him, I simply assume we have to spend extra time — and [assistant coach] Brad Shaw has — so far as how we play protection.

“The most important factor with Tony is he wants to chop down his skating, must determine who his man is, shut him out and never come off of him. He has legs to shut out individuals, however then he comes off of him and it form of makes all people else swim from there.

“In order that’s a giant a part of the sport we’re engaged on with Tony with out making an attempt to hamper his offense.”

On protection, Nick Seeler sat for the primary time this season.

 

• Wade Allison returned to the lineup after lacking 5 weeks with an indirect pressure and a hip pointer. Extra on the team’s health front here.

Allison performed 10:40 minutes on the fourth line.

• The Flyers have a back-to-back set on the street with a matchup Thursday towards the Maple Leafs (2 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and Friday towards the Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).

With the NHL-mandated three-day vacation break, the membership then has 5 days earlier than its subsequent recreation.

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