Flyers looking to repeat defensive gem
They clogged the neutral zone, had an active forecheck, and allowed a season-low 16 shots. "That," goalie Michal Neuvirth said after the Flyers' workmanlike 3-1 victory over NHL heavyweight Montreal on Thursday, "was a complete 60-minutes effort. . . . It felt like we were playing playoff hockey. We played great defensively and waited for our chances."
They clogged the neutral zone, had an active forecheck, and allowed a season-low 16 shots.
"That," goalie Michal Neuvirth said after the Flyers' workmanlike 3-1 victory over NHL heavyweight Montreal on Thursday, "was a complete 60-minutes effort. . . . It felt like we were playing playoff hockey. We played great defensively and waited for our chances."
It was a solid start to a five-game homestand, which will continue with a Saturday matinee against Jeff Carter and the Los Angeles Kings (26-21-4)
Two of the Flyers' three defensive pairings were altered in Thursday's win: Mark Streit was with Nick Schultz, and Radko Gudas was with Brandon Manning.
Schultz replaced Shayne Gostisbehere, who had been paired with Manning recently. Schultz started together with Streit for the first time since the sixth game of the season.
"I thought those guys did a good job. A lot of calmness to their game," said coach Dave Hakstol, who also praised the performance of Dale Weise, the veteran winger who replaced Travis Konecny.
Streit said the Flyers "need to keep it simple and play north, get pucks in, and go to work. I think once we're in their end, we can grind them out and create, and we had some really good offensive zone time [Thursday]. It tires the other team out if you don't have to defend. You play in their end, and you are so much fresher in the end."
The Flyers (26-20-6 ) will be facing one of the league's best defenses. Los Angeles is allowing just 2.35 goals per game, fourth in the NHL heading into Friday.
But the Kings are even more offensively challenged than the Flyers.
Carter is, by far, Los Angeles' top scoring threat. The former Flyer leads L.A. in goals (26, second in the NHL entering Friday) and points (46). Anze Kopitar (six goals, 31 points), Tanner Price (15 goals), and defenseman Drew Doughty (30 points) are other key weapons on a team that is 22nd in the NHL, averaging 2.55 goals per game.
Entering Friday, the Flyers were tied for 17th in the 30-team league, averaging 2.67 goals per game. They were just 25th on defense.
Based on practice Friday, the Flyers will use the same lineup that produced Thursday's win. That means Weise and Schultz will be in, and Konecny and Gostisbehere will be out.
After practice, Hakstol was asked if he sat the two players because he wanted a more grind-it-out approach by inserting Schultz and Weise.
"I can simplify it probably a little bit more. It's about winning hockey games," he said. "We're in the middle of a playoff battle here. We hope it's going to be a long battle because we think it's going to go right down to the wire. It's just about a roster and a lineup that gives us the best opportunity to win."
Hakstol said Konecny and Gostisbehere "are a very big part of things here, and they need to be a very big part of things as we continue through the next couple of months. They were the guys who were out for good reasons yesterday, and our team played well. I'm leaning toward a similar lineup" Saturday.
Konecny and Gostisbehere both stayed on the ice long after practice ended Friday and worked with assistant Gord Murphy, a sure sign they will not play Saturday.
"There are going to be some good players sitting out of the lineup. Nobody's beyond that," Hakstol said.
Hakstol said "more of the focus should be on the 20 guys who are in the lineup and the job they're doing."
Neuvirth will make his second straight start for the first time since he had four consecutive starts from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5.
"The more I play, the better I feel," Neuvirth said. "I had a good practice today and I'm ready to go."
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