Flyers Suddenly “The Comeback Kids”

The Philadelphia Flyers have been called many things.  In addition to the usual unprintable obsenities used by rival team’s fans, they have been called ”contenders”, “pretenders”, and ”inconsistent” by hockey experts at different times during the season.  After last night’s game against the New York Islanders, another new moniker has arisen:  “The Comeback Kids”.

Through the first 56 games of the current NHL season, the Flyers had not come back from a 2-goal deficit to win a game.  Not once.   But the team has accomplished the feat 3 times over the course of the past 9 games.

The first two times were in both ends of a home-and-home series with Philadelphia’s arch-rival New Jersey Devils on February 8th and 10th.  In both games, the Flyers trailed NJ 2-0, but rallied both times for improbable 3-2 victories.  Improbable not just because Philly had failed to  successfully rally for wins when facing a 2-goal deficit in their first 56, but the rarity became even more accentuated when you consider that arch-nemesis Martin Brodeur was in the Devils’ net.  Brodeur’s career success against the Orange and Black is well documented, so to pull off those comebacks in back-to-back games was almost inconceivable.

And last night was much of the same against Dwayne Roloson and the New York Islanders, who were looking to break a 14-game losing streak to Philadelphia.

Goals by rookie John Tavares and Kyle Okposo had staked NY to a 2-0 lead midway through the second period.  Less than 2 minutes after Okposo’s goal, Flyers’ defenseman Kimmo Timonen dumped the puck to Danny Briere behind the NY cage.  Briere calmly dished to Jeff Carter at the left circle, and Carter ripped a shot over Roloson’s left shoulder.  It was Carter’s 15 goal in the last 19 games, and the brought Philly to within a goal at 2-1.

A game plan that has become familiar in recent times for the team was repeated.  Good discipline – Philly took only 1 minor penalty in the game – and excellent special teams play – penalty killers handled the 1 Islander man-advantage, and the Flyers powerplay went 2-for-4.  The two Philadelphia PP markers came in the crucial third period. 

Claude Giroux scored midway though the final stanza to tie the game on a beautiful play as he drove to the net down the slot.  Mike Richards sent a perfect centering pass to where Giroux could get his stick on the puck, and he put a backhander past Roloson at the 8:00 mark.

A rejuvenated Simon Gagne connected for the game-winner with just 6:06 left in regulation.  Giroux put a pass from the left point to Gagne at the right circle.  Gagne spotted Richards in front of the NY net and attempted to get a pass to him, but the puck glanced off of Isles’ defenseman Mark Streit’s stick and past Roloson to give Philadelphia the lead for the first time in the game. 

It could be classified as a lucky bounce for Gagne, but after the run of luck, or should I say lack thereof, that he experienced through the course of his first 30 games, Simon is due a few of those.  And make no mistake, Gagne’s raised level of play over the course of the last month has enabled him to create some of his own luck.  He has looked like a different player over the last 15 games, jumping into the play and getting into prime scoring areas. 

And what can you say about the play of goaltender Michael Leighton?  Once again he held his team in the game and gave them a chance to win.  Although the Okposo goal was one he probably would like to have back, Leighton was solid throughout and continues to prove GM Paul Holmgren’s decision to stick with him as the Flyers’ #1 at the trade deadline was a correct call. 

Every point is huge down the stretch as the Montreal Canadiens won again last night, their third victory in a row.  Even though Philadelphia has 3 games in hand on Les Habitants, they can ill-afford any kind of slump in the remaining schedule.  Montreal remains just 2 points behind the Flyers, and the two teams will have their last meeting of the season on April 2nd. 

No doubt, Philadelphia does not want to make a habit out of having to come back from 2-goal deficits.  But it’s a good thing to know that they have the character, discipline and talent to do so when they find themselves in that position.

Taking a Flyer:  Wingers Ville Leino and Riley Cote were healthy scratches.  Defenseman Oskars Bartulis remains sidelined with a groin strain that he sustained during the Olympic Games…head coach Peter Laviolette on the Flyers disciplined play:  “I thought the discipline was excellent.  We can’t (retaliate).  There’s too much at stake.  I think we’ve learned that.  I thought it was really good discipline.  Not only from actions like that, but just skating, keeping our sticks on the ice, not hooking and holding — real good discipline.”…this was the 19th time this season that the Flyers have trailed heading into the third period and just the 2nd time they were able to pull out a victory.  Their record in games where they trail going into the third is now 2-17-0. 

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