On Oct. 19, the Philadelphia Flyers moved to a 3-1-0 record for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division with their 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. What were some takeaways from the rather decisive win over an intimidating foe?
Tippett, Atkinson Just Needed Time
In my preview of this game, two of the players I highlighted were 24-year-old Owen Tippett and 34-year-old Cam Atkinson. Both forwards started off slow this season, but they were both difference-makers in this matchup. All they needed was a little bit of time to get rolling.
Atkinson’s empty net goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets was the only point that either of the two scored before this game. In this match alone, they teamed up for two of the Flyers’ goals. Tippett found the veteran once on a nice setup that led to an easy goal right in front of the crease, and assisted on a nifty breakaway goal for the 34-year-old later on.
After some underperformance in the offensive zone from both of them through their first two games, head coach John Tortorella pulled the plug on Morgan Frost, their linemate, and gave the two of them first-line ice time. It didn’t necessarily work against the Vancouver Canucks, but it worked in this game.
Atkinson and Tippett will have to be key drivers of the Flyers’ offense for them to win hockey games. The team is set up to have their scoring done by committee, but they need their top-six players to show up. Both of them being two of the most notable offensive standouts for either team in this match was paramount.
York, Sanheim Playing Their Best Hockey
Right now, both Cam York and Travis Sanheim are playing some of the best hockey of their careers. So far, the duo has handled their first-pairing minutes with ease, and are showing that they could actually be one of the NHL’s best first pairings, and not just a duo they have because of the Flyers’ lack of high-end defenders.
York and Sanheim are getting the ice time necessary to be a top defensive pairing, and both are running away with the opportunity. Collectively, they played a whopping 53:33 in ice time against the Oilers, showing Tortorella’s reliance on both of them. A genuine worry that some had about the Flyers entering this season was about how they would make up for the top-pairing minutes of departed Ivan Provorov, but it seems as though they have it figured out. To this point, the first pair is the best it has been in years.
Related: Evaluating Philadelphia Flyers’ Rebuild After Ivan Provorov Trade
Latest News & Highlights
Simply put, Sanheim and York both look confident. They are both great puck movers and lean toward the offensive side of the game, so their ability to make plays offensively has been a big reason for Philadelphia’s success so far. Not only are they smothering chances in their own end, but they are actively creating them at the other. This could be a huge season for both of them, and it is looking to be that way so far.
October Hart is Back
In the month of October of the 2022-23 season, goaltender Carter Hart was at his absolute peak. He put up a 5-0-1 record with a .938 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.31 goals-against average (GAA) and was the best player on the Flyers. He is putting up similar numbers this season, and he still has a handful of games left this October.
If you look all the way back to his game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 14, Hart hadn’t given up a goal in over 110 minutes of game action until Zach Hyman finally broke his shutout streak. This was the longest he had ever gone without giving up a goal in his entire career.
Perhaps this level of dominance won’t last forever, but he can definitely be more consistent than he was last season, where he wasn’t stealing as many games for the Flyers after October. If he can be a season-long rock in goal, the Flyers would have quite the asset on their hands with him becoming a restricted free agent (RFA) this offseason.
Flyers’ Penalty Kill Looking Strong
The Flyers weren’t tested particularly often on the penalty kill in this game, but they were sharp when they were. Not giving up a single goal from Edmonton’s historically great power play is a win on its own, but the Flyers added a shorthanded goal to cap off a fantastic effort.
Sean Couturier stole a pass attempt from Connor McDavid, who went shotless all night, and played it up to defenseman Sean Walker who took the puck for a ride and sniped it short side past opposing goaltender Jack Campbell. It was a beautiful play all around, and the defender’s first goal as a Flyer.
Aside from a three-goal outing for the Senators’ power play, the penalty kill has done a fantastic job, not allowing a single goal other than during that game. The unit has been a weakness for many years, but it has seemingly done its job thus far. If this persists, the Flyers will continue to win hockey games.
There is no shortage of the NHL’s elite on the Flyers’ schedule, as they head into the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Stars on Oct. 21. The Orange and Black will look to extend their winning streak to three games, but they will play in a building that they have not won in since Oct. 18, 2014.