PHILADELPHIA | “We didn’t have a fastball at night. We didn't play a good game. Our third period was our best, but we lacked energy. Something was missing. Cayden Primeau helped us get a point. »
Martin St-Louis analyzed this 2:3 defeat in the shootout against the Philadelphia Flyers in the best possible way. The CH did not deserve to leave the Well Fargo Center with one point in the standings.
The Habs lacked his speed, his curve and his smoothness.
The Flyers dominated this game from start to finish, but never ran away in the main column, that of goals.
Sean Couturier scored the only goal in the shootout, beating Primeau with a shot between the pads. At the other end of the ice, Samuel Ersson made saves against Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Jesse Ylönen.
“I didn’t expect that I would get a point from this game,” admitted defender David Savard. Especially in the first half we played. But there are times when you end up with a small bonus. Primeau made some big saves. The Flyers also hit the post frequently. »
The Flyers fired six shots on the post in this game. In terms of the number of shots, they outscored the visitors 39 to 19 and 79 to 47 shots.
Originally from the Philadelphia area, Primeau didn't win, but he had nothing to blame himself for either. He was the best player on his team. By a kilometer or two.
Kaiden Guhle wasn't afraid to sacrifice his body with ten blocked shots. Savard and Mike Matheson each blocked five. Those are good numbers, but also another indication of the Flyers' dominance.
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Suzuki idling
There aren't many secrets to slowing the Habs. With only one trio threatening offensively, St-Louis doesn't have many cards in the game.
John Tortorella and the Flyers did a good job of controlling CH's first trio of Suzuki, Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. Of the three, only Caufield had a shot on goal. And there was only one.
Getty Images via AFP
As the winner of the Frank Selke Race in 2020, Couturier not only thwarted the Suzuki trio, he also found himself at the center of his team's attack with Konecny and Joel Farabee.
Two shots, two goals
CH generated virtually nothing offensively in this game. That was the case in the first period, but Martin St-Louis' gang found a way to hit the target twice with two shots. Sean Monahan and David Savard scored. Samuel Ersson therefore did not save in the first third.
Inadvertently, he achieved an unenviable NHL mark by conceding at least one goal without making a save in the same period. Before him, Antero Niittymaki achieved this on November 17, 2007. Niittymaki also played for the Flyers and also scored two goals on two shots.
Love for Drysdale
Jamie Drysdale was acquired from the Ducks in exchange for Cutter Gauthier, who did not want to play for the Flyers, and wore the orange and white jersey for the first time. The 22-year-old defenseman earned his first point with his new team by picking up an assist on Morgan Frost's goal on the power play.
Wells Fargo fans gave him a warm round of applause when his name was announced by the House Speaker. A few seconds later, the Flyers supporters began a poetic chant to mock Cutter Gauthier. They sang Cutter's first name and then added two words beginning with the letters F and Y. In the City of Brotherly Love, snowballs were once thrown at Santa Claus during an Eagles game. The partisans do not have a reputation for being soft.