PHILADELPHIA — With offensively gifted, viral-goal-scoring Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras sitting on the visiting bench on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center, center Morgan Frost issued a reminder that the Flyers boast some skill of their own.
Frost’s between-the-legs goal at the side of the net highlighted the Flyers 5-2 victory over the Ducks, a resounding rebound against one of the league’s worst team’s after suffering a 6-0 drubbing by one of its best in the Boston Bruins the day before. Winger James van Riemsdyk, known for his slick stickhandling with the puck at the front of the net, watched on in appreciation as Frost scored his ninth of the season.
The Flyers never trailed against the lowly Ducks, thanks to a hat trick from forward Kevin Hayes (one power play, one even strength, one empty net), plus goals from defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (shorthanded) and Frost. They dominated the Ducks in the first period, outshooting them, 17-4. Through 60 minutes, the Flyers outshot the Ducks, 39-27.
Ducks winger Frank Vatrano scored a late power-play goal on a tip past goalie Samuel Ersson, but his efforts weren’t enough to dig the visitors out of the hole.
Now, the Flyers have won eight of their last 10 games and are five points out of an Eastern Conference wild card spot.
Pouncing on penalties
The Ducks were called for three minor penalties in the first period alone, challenging the Flyers’ power play to capitalize on their mistakes. Two of those penalties overlapped — too many men, served by winger Max Comtois, and a Vatrano tripping penalty drawn by Morgan Frost as he attempted to enter the offensive zone. The Flyers squandered all 43 seconds at 5-on-3, failing to register a single shot on goal in that span and allowing a shorthanded breakaway when Comtois came out of the box.
However, Comtois shot wide, and the Flyers regrouped on the man advantage. Winger Travis Konecny fanned on a one-timer, and while Comtois collected the stray puck, winger James van Riemsdyk forced a turnover to keep the puck in the Flyers’ zone. The sequence ended with Hayes firing a wrist shot from the right circle past the glove of Ducks goalie Anthony Stolarz to put the Flyers up, 1-0. Through three periods, the Flyers went 1-for-5 on the power play, generating 10 shots total.
Putting the power in power kill
The Flyers got a bit loose in the second period, allowing the Ducks a couple of high-danger scoring chances after holding them without one in the first. Ducks center Adam Henrique scored point-blank on goalie Samuel Ersson when the Ducks had numbers entering the Flyers’ zone. The Ducks earned an opportunity to pull ahead when center Patrick Brown was called for tripping just four minutes after Henrique’s goal to put the Flyers on the penalty kill.
But the Flyers took advantage of the Ducks’ 30th ranked power play, killing their momentum and getting back on the attack. Center Scott Laughton collected a rebound in the slot, then skated up the ice on a 2-on-1 with hard-hitting Ristolainen. Laughton put a perfect pass on Ristolainen’s tape, who then scored on a backhander to put the Flyers back up, 2-1. The goal marked Ristolainen’s first of the season and the Flyers’ ninth shorthanded, the league’s high.
