Welcome to the post-Dave Hakstol era. Population, well, not a 1st round exit. Many expected this news a long time ago, but Hakstol is now officially out in Philly after losing 4-straight by a combined 22-8. Meanwhile, the once-hot Detroit Red Wings are beginning to show their true colors again. They have dropped 3-straight and 4 of their last 5. Can the struggling Red Wings take advantage of a Flyers team that has hit rock bottom? Let’s find out.
1st Period
Larkin vs. Couturier. Bernier vs. Carter Hart, who is making his NHL debut. Let’s ride. Bad news right away, Jimmy Howard was supposed to start, but hurt himself during warmups so he’s out and Bernier’s in. Rasmussen called for interference no more than a minute in as he ran over Konecny, who got hurt on the play. Flyers to the PP right away. Lots of commotion around Bernier, but Philly never had possession for a real chance and also took a penalty of their own. 4-on-4 for 42 seconds than the Red Wings to a PP. And the Red Wings PP went pretty much how you expected it would. Jeez, the refs can’t keep calling all these penalties. Oh wait, guess it was too-many-men for Detroit. Back to the PP for Philly. Not even 5 minutes in. Big save by Bernier on a tip in the slot from Couturier. Kronwall down while killing the penalty behind the net. Definite high stick as JVR was grabbing Jensen and pulled his stick into Kronner’s face. Should have been a holding penalty if anything, but no call. Red Wings pick up play after killing the penalty, but nothing to show for it. 1st TV timeout.
That didn’t last long as Philly is all over Detroit once again. Shots only 5-1 Flyers, but the Wings haven’t had a SOG since the first minute of the game. 2nd TV timeout. Side not, and I don’t root for injuries ever and I obviously I don’t want Bernier to get hurt, but I’d love to see some emergency goalie action tonight. Dude is a geologist. That would be awesome. Okay, back to the game, and there’s still not much action to talk about. Final TV timeout.
3-on-2 by the Flyers led to a great save by Bernier with Konecny bearing down in the high slot. Quickly the Wings head the other way and Daley is hooked on a breakaway set up by AA, but no penalty shot called. Wings PP with 4 mins left in the period. Larkin with a great chance alone in the slot, but he was denied by Hart, which was the first real test for the rookie. That was the only great chance of the PP as the Wings are now 0-for-2 on it. Flyers score. Giroux shot one from the straight point that was deflected by JVR right in front of Bernier. 1-0 Philly. That’ll do it after 1, not a good period by Detroit.
Shots: 11-8 PHI
Score: 1-0 PHI
2nd Period
Teams exchange chances the first couple of minutes, but both goalies doing their part to keep this a 1-0 game. Red Wings to the PP 3 minutes in as Lindblom takes a very weak slashing penalty. Ozzie continues to praise the Red Wings PP so far tonight (it’s been not that great) and they lose possession 10 seconds into this one. Haha, and of course right on cue, Cholowski rips one home from the point and it’s 1-1! Nyquist and Larkin pick up the assist’s, and D-Boss’s point streak reaches 8-games too. Flyers generate another odd man rush that is again stopped by Bernier who hangs on to a close-range Gostisbehere shot. 1st TV timeout.
Gudas. 2-1 Flyers. It was a straight point shot that Bernier had a clear view of and just seemed to miss it under the blocker. JVR cut across the front of the crease before the shot and barely hit Bernier with his skate, but the Red Wings will challenge for goalie interference anyways. Personally, I think it’s a good goal, and if it’s not, the rule needs to be revised because it’d be a very soft reversal. Yup, good goal. Red Wings still seem very, very sluggish as Philly is dictating the pace once more before the 2nd TV timeout.
Cholowski with a great job coming back and breaking up a possible 3-on-1 after Daley mishandled the puck in the Flyers zone. That’s about it as this game drags on. Final TV timeout. Flyers again. Bad turnover by Cholowski at the Flyers blue line led to a 4-on-2 the other way. 2 passes later, Gostisbehere had a wide-open shooting lane in the low slot and sniped one top corner. 3-1 Flyers. Flyers continue to dominate as it has just been a real bad 40 minutes from the Wings tonight. A late flourish from Detroit, led by Larkin again, but no luck and that’ll do it, but hey, we love coming back down 2 in the 3rd. However, I’m very doubtful that will happen tonight unless something major changes.
Shots: 20-14 PHI
Score: 3-1 PHI
3rd Period
2 minutes into the 3rd and much more of the same between these two. Wow okay, De La Rose scores! I looked down for 2 seconds and missed it. Ehn sent a harmless puck in deep that Frk picked up behind the net and threw it in front for De La Rose who somehow put it home. 3-2 Philly. Larkin now with a great cross-ice pass to set up Abdelkader wide open in front and he swung and missed. Things have slowed down once again between these two. 1st TV timeout.
Big save by Bernier on another odd-man rush by the Flyers. More Philly pressure, seemingly constant lately. Outside of Larkin, the Wings 4th line has been a small bright spot here tonight. Frk, Ehn and De La Rose with another scoring chance, first one for the Wings since De La Rose’s goal. Bernier two huge stops once again, these one’s at point-blank range. Outside of the Gudas’ goal, Bernier has been phenomenal tonight and easily the team’s MVP. Needs to be go time coming out of the break as we reach the 2nd TV timeout.
Bernier ANOTHER huge stop on wide-open a chance in the high slot from Philadelphia. Under 7 minutes to go and things seem awful despite being just a 1-goal game (maybe, that’s a good thing since we still have a chance?). Final TV timeout. Crunch time. Shots are 13-5 Philly in the 3rd. Who’s the team trailing again?
Larkin now with a great no look pass across the zone for an open Trevor Daley who sent it high. 3:20 to go now. Athanasiou enters the zone and just rips one on Hart who saved it. Bernier to the bench with 1:50 to go. Whistle goes as the puck was tied up in about four different players in front of Hart. Sanheim had the puck tangled up in his jersey, that cheater. Would be nice to have a timeout right now, but Blashill’s challenging of a non-existent goalie interference earlier cost the Wings that chance. Wings can’t even get set up now, but the Flyers ice it with 36 seconds left. About that timeout….. Cholowski blasts one from the point that goes wide. Now he sets up Frk who blasts one into Hart. He gives up a huge rebound in front, but no one there for Detroit and Philly clears. Game over. Red Wings lose, and deservedly so.
Shots: 33-22 PHI
Score: 3-2 PHI
