The Philadelphia Flyers returned home after embarking on a West Coast road trip to start the 2024-25 season, experiencing some deja vu as they went up against the Vancouver Canucks, who were their opponents for their first game of the season.
The Philadelphia Flyers returned home after embarking on a West Coast road trip to start the 2024-25 season, experiencing some deja vu as they went up against the Vancouver Canucks, who were their opponents for their first game of the season.
However, they had a very different result this time around, falling 3-0, as opposed to the shootout win they recorded on Oct. 11.
Unfinished Business
The Flyers had their fair share of chances in this game, but they just couldn't capitalize on them. Whether it was shooting the puck just wide of the net or goalie Kevin Lankinen making a crucial save, the goals just weren't happening.
This isn't a new issue, but with the arrivals of Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko, combined with the breakouts of established players like Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett last season, scoring goals seemed like a given. The frustration was evident, and head coach John Tortorella will almost certainly be revisiting the drawing board when it comes to line combinations because something just isn't gelling.
Missing Seeler
Another glaring liability for the Flyers has been the defensive pairing of Egor Zamula and Rasmus Ristolainen, who proved once again that they just don't work all that well together. They look awkward and out of sync together, and didn't give Sam Ersson a whole lot of security as the Canucks made themselves at home in the Flyers zone.
The original defensive plan sounded like it would have had Erik Johnson with Zamula and Nick Seeler with Jamie Drysdale, but until Seeler returns from his lower-body injury, it's likely that Johnson will remain with Drysdale and leave Ristolainen to be the veteran balancing out the young Zamula.
No Excuses
It's easy to blame the travel that the Flyers have had to do as a reason why they lost against the Canucks, but the players aren't using it as an excuse for not scoring.
"Everyone goes through it," Scott Laughton said of the travel schedule. "The [West Coast teams] go through it all the time. We got enough time to prepare and get ready for this game, especially [because] it's the home opener."
Team captain Sean Couturier agreed, saying, "Everyone goes through that kind of schedule at one point in the year, so it's on us to be better prepared."
The Flyers next game will be another home matchup against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 22.
