Flyers 2, Canucks 0: 'Who’re we to suppose we're anyone,' says Tocchet after Fright Evening in Philly

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John Tortorella began his fourth line Tuesday.

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Surprising? No. Good? Sure.

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We’ve seen this film earlier than, however on this event it was to dictate the early tempo of play with a heavy forecheck as a substitute dropping the gloves and touchdown heavy blows.

In that respect, the Philadelphia Flyers’ bench boss rapidly obtained his message throughout as a result of it took lower than two minutes for the rebuilding membership to reply with the opening objective by a uncooked rookie.

In spite of everything, if you don’t identify a captain, you’re searching for gamers to steer by instance within the home-opener and you may’t have anyone enjoying on their heels. That wasn’t a tough promote for the previous Canucks coach, who by no means treats a confrontation with Vancouver as simply one other recreation.

The Canucks made it simple by waking up method too late and falling 2-0.

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They didn’t win board battles, they didn’t seamlessly exit their zone, they took penalties by being late to the chase, dedicated turnovers in their very own zone and surrendered odd-man rushes. It appeared rather a lot just like the begin to final season. Scary.

“I can’t even decide one man who performed effectively besides Demko,” stated pissed off Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet. “He was unreal. He was nice and the remainder of the blokes weren’t. We’ve obtained some guys who higher decide it up. I don’t like to make use of the phrase gentle, however I didn’t see guys competing in any respect. And that’s alarming.

“We have now to go to the drafting board with some guys. The compete wasn’t there and we weren’t good and it’s a superb lesson. Who’re we to suppose we’re anyone.”

It’s the type of stuff that drives Tocchet loopy, particularly when he wanted Thatcher Demko to provide his membership an opportunity to finds its recreation. Embracing the decision for competitiveness means doing it constantly and never sometimes. That’s the exhausting lesson. No communication, no help and poor positional play provides as much as large hassle.

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“Clearly, not our evening and we didn’t play nice,” stated Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. “Our goalie saved us in it and was unbelievable tonight and it might have been a bit bit worse than it was. He’s a particular goaltender. It was their home-opener they usually have been able to go and we weren’t. That’s all it was.

“I don’t suppose anybody was fearful. We’ve obtained a very good crew and guys are feeling assured. Even taking place 2-0 within the third, I believed we have been going to wind up successful the sport. We didn’t should win but it surely’s simply three video games in. It’s a course of for us and we have now an extended option to go.

“We’re hoping to be a very good crew by Recreation 40 or 50. We weren’t utilizing our staples tonight and it type of appeared like we have been doing our personal factor on the market.”

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The Canucks even reunited the Lotto Line within the third interval, however Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser would mix for simply 5 pictures. The penalty kill went 4-for-4 however the energy play was 0-for-3.

The Canucks appeared to claw one again early within the third interval on an effort by Conor Garland, who obtained to the crease to jam dwelling a unfastened puck. Nevertheless, the Flyers challenged Garland impeded Carter Hart’s means to make the save as he moved throughout the crease by pushing the stopper’s pad.

Right here’s what we realized because the Canucks have been outshot 42-25 as Egor Zamula and Sean Couturier on a penalty shot scored for the Flyers because the Canucks fell to 2-1-0:

Demko sparks extra Vezina discuss

Sure, it’s early. Manner too early.

Linking Demko with Vezina Trophy consideration just isn’t new. And judging by his exceptional efficiency Tuesday to maintain his membership in a recreation it had no enterprise successful, the plaudits will maintain piling up if this turns into the norm.

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And particularly if Demko can keep wholesome.

Demko was dehydrated within the season opener and gave option to Casey DeSmith to mop up the final 12 minutes. On Tuesday, he most likely might have used an I.V. (intravenous) injection after the second interval by which the Flyers had whole management however couldn’t beat the starter.

It’s Demko’s athleticism, persistence and poise which have elevated his recreation to a different degree. The mismatch might have simply been put away within the second interval however Demko denied Owen Tippett off a turnover, rapidly flashed his left pad to thwart Bobby Brink, obtained a shoulder on a deflection and stopped odd-man rushes.

He saved his finest with 4:13 left within the third interval. After the Canucks threatened on the facility play, he sprawled on a 2-on-1 rush to disclaim Scott Laughton’s backhand effort.

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Early gaffes ought to tick off Tocchet

Two gamers behind their very own internet typically provides as much as hassle.

When defencemen Tyler Myers and Ian Cole have been caught behind the cage, after which misplaced a puck battle, it led to an untouched Tippett on Demko’s doorstep. It compelled the starter to make a pointy shift throughout the crease to disclaim an early scoring alternative. It could be a precursor to what turned Fright Evening.

Myers would end with a pair of penalties and two turnovers.

And when the Flyers opened scoring, it was an aggressive forecheck and gaining possession off a puck battle. It allowed Travis Konecny to throw a cross into the slot, and a shot whiff allowed Zamula to get his level shot by means of a double display screen by Garland and Noah Juulsen to seek out the quick facet.

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Creativity turning into new calling card

What’s subsequent within the creativity closet?

On Monday, it was Evgeny Kuznetsov who scored the lone shootout objective for the Washington Capitals as they rallied from a two-goal deficit to assert a 3-2 resolution over the Calgary Flames. On his try, the winger slowly skated towards the online like an previous man shuffling alongside in a soup line.

Kuznetsov saved stickhandling as he approached the highest of the slot after which snapped the winner dwelling stick facet for what was simply the slowest shootout objective in NHL historical past.

On Tuesday, it was Couturier who appeared like a determine skater executing a flip when he scored on his first-period penalty shot alternative. He got here in skating backward, spun and shifted to his forehand earlier than going stick facet to make it 2-0.

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OVERTIME — Tocchet stated injured defenceman Guillaume Brisebois nonetheless has to get his coronary heart charge as much as cross protocols, which possible means he suffered a concussion after absorbing a heavy late-game hit from Seattle winger Brandon Tanev on Oct. 4 in Abbotsford. Tanev left his ft to ship the blow and Tocchet took a penalty to indicate his disgust on the non-call.

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