COLUMBUS, Ohio — Since the start of the season, the Flyers’ mortal enemy has been the second period They’ve allowed 83 goals in the middle frame (6th most in the NHL) while scoring just 62 (5th fewest).
But Thursday night at Nationwide Arena against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Flyers turned that narrative on its head, scoring three unanswered goals in the second period to secure a 4-1 win. Defenseman Kevin Connauton, winger Owen Tippett, winger Noah Cates, and winger Travis Konecny led the offensive attack, tallying goals to help the Flyers to their second straight road win.
The Flyers were buzzing in the second after going down 1-0 after the first period by allowing an Eric Robinson short-handed goal. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers registered three high-danger chances for to the Blue Jackets’ one.
Columbus attempted to claw itself back into the game in the third period, peppering goalie Martin Jones with eight shots on goal. However, the Flyers closed out by staying on the attack as Konecny scored with less than three minutes left in the third period.
A night to remember for former Blue Jackets
After spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Blue Jackets, Cam Atkinson returned Thursday to Columbus for the first time as a member of a different team. Atkinson received a warm welcome from the local crowd and got the starting nod alongside Joel Farabee and Scott Laughton.
While Atkinson was the talk of the town, former Blue Jacket Connauton stole the show when he tallied the game-tying goal for the Flyers in the second period. Connauton forced a turnover in the neutral zone, creating a 2-on-1 rush alongside Kevin Hayes. Connauton held the puck, picked his corner, and scored on a wrist shot past goalie Elvis Merzlikins to tie the game at 1-1.
“This year’s been a weird year, bouncing around and in and out of the lineup quite a bit, but I feel like when I’ve gone in I’ve played well and been fighting the stat sheet a little bit so it’s nice to get that first one,” Connauton said.
Fresh faces lead the way
In his first nine games with the Flyers after he was acquired via trade for Claude Giroux from the Florida Panthers, Tippett has had his fair share of scoring chances. The 23-year-old Tippett had notched 22 shots, one of which resulted in his first goal as a Flyer against the New York Rangers on Sunday. Against the Blue Jackets, Tippett scored the go-ahead goal to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead on a a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle.
Roughly three minutes later, recently signed college prospect Cates jumped in on the action. After the puck took a bounce off the end boards behind the net, Cates skillfully maneuvered to the post to pop it past Merzlikins. Cates, 23, now has goals in back-to-back games against the Blue Jackets.
Not-so-pretty power play
Going into their game against the Blue Jackets, the Flyers boasted the league’s worst power play in their last 18 games dating back to March 1, converting on just 9.4 percent of their opportunities. Not only are they struggling to score, but they’re also giving up short-handed goals — in the same span, the Flyers registered five power play goals and allowed three short-handed goals.
On Thursday night, the Blue Jackets worsened the ratio by tallying a short-handed goal against the Flyers. Eight seconds into the Flyers’ lone power play of the first period, defenseman Cam York’s shot from the blue line was blocked up front. Atkinson fanned on the rebound, and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov won the battle for the puck along the boards. Gavrikov passed Robinson the puck in the neutral zone to spring him for a breakaway. Robinson scored on Jones to pull Columbus ahead 1-0.
What’s next
The Flyers head home to the Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday to face off against the Anaheim Ducks.
