Tablet-less hockey

The start of the game was temporarily delayed as Utah looked like they didn’t have their tablets or iPads working properly. So the Flyers went without also just to make things fair. The bright side was Joel Farabee could only rely on the scoreboard to see him almost scoring again. Or how he got plastered into the boards in the neutral zone in the second thanks to Ian Cole.

We can’t knock Farabee on this night too much, as he did find the net seconds after Utah opened the scoring.

Drysdale does good things in first game back

Jamie Drysdale was marking his first game in a while and didn’t see action on the first power play unit. He started the second unit with a shot on goal. Early in the second he made a shot block that seconds later caused Travis Konecny nearly in on a breakaway. And he was on the ice for the Flyers second goal as Tippett, Michkov and, er, Frost went to work. In the third he made a great read and intercepted a pass for a strong chance to tie the game, showing some of that speed that endeared him to many immediately after being acquired 11 months ago.

It’s going to take some time and (dare I say) patience for Drysdale to develop into whatever he might evolve into. Drysdale could’ve had an assist on a possible game-tying goal in the third but Konecny interfered with the goaltender and a coach’s challenge reversed the call on the ice. But back to Drysdale. The big thing is he stays healthy for the Flyers and Drysdale to see what he can (or can’t) do. If anything, Nick Seeler appeared to enjoy Drysdale’s return as he had two assists.

74 + 39 = !!!

What is becoming apparent is that Tippett and Michkov are becoming a pair that is becoming more exciting to watch with each passing game. With two lines on life support, Michkov and Tippett were responsible for Philadelphia’s second goal as they were whirling around Utah’s zone before Tippett’s snapper tied it up 2-2.

Michkov and Tippett were ridiculously on Sunday night. Michkov had an expected goals for percentage of 96.61 while Tippett was at 95.33 after two periods. In short, when they had the puck you knew which zone the puck was at or heading to the entire night. And Michkov showed some of his passion or frustration late when he got tossed out after punching a Utah defender a few times with just 16 seconds left in the game. The dude hates to lose.

When will the stupidity end?

After taking a late penalty in Boston, Sean Couturier took another dumb penalty in the later stage of the first, the team’s second of the period. Philadelphia, who are struggling terribly this month down a man, had a brief rush up ice by Travis Konecny but Utah goalie Jaxson Stauber made the glove save. The self-sabotage continued in the second slightly when Tyson Foerster shot the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. And this one burned them. Adding more salt in the wound was how Scot Lauhgton was robbed by Stauber seconds before Logan Cooley waited out Ersson for a 3-2 lead.

This writer apologizes for writing a piece last week praising the team for being disciplined as they have been anything but since that post. I should be disciplined for jinxing them as a result. It won’t happen again.