The Philadelphia Flyers staged a late comeback attempt against the Colorado Avalanche but fell short in a 3-2 defeat at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 15, 2024. Despite leading the league with 11 come-from-behind wins this season, the Flyers could not capitalize on their chances, leaving them frustrated.
Trailing by two goals midway through the second period, the Flyers found a glimmer of hope when Travis Konecny scored to narrow the gap. The momentum shifted further early in the third period when Trevor Zegras was awarded a penalty shot that could have tied the game. Unfortunately for the Flyers, Zegras’s shot was saved, and although they maintained pressure throughout the final period, the equalizer eluded them.
“It was a good third period,” said Sean Couturier. “We just couldn’t come back. It’s good proof that we can play with anyone. We just have to bring that (third period) effort more consistently.”
The Flyers faced additional challenges with Cam York sidelined due to an upper-body injury. In his absence, Nick Seeler stepped into the top defensive pairing alongside Travis Sanheim, while Egor Zamula and Noah Juulsen formed a third pairing. Unfortunately, Zamula and Juulsen were on the ice for two of Colorado’s three goals.
“They’re scratching and clawing,” commented head coach Rick Tocchet regarding the new defensive pairings. “We’ve got to get something; they’re trying.”
One player who stood out was Emil Andrae, who played alongside Jamie Drysdale. Andrae expressed confidence in their ability to adapt to new line combinations. “I don’t think it’s difficult,” he stated. “I think we all know each other at this point. We’ve played a lot of games. I think we’ve played great together.”
Andrae logged an impressive 21:59 on the ice, finishing with a plus-1 rating. His aggressive play against top competition drew praise from Tocchet, who noted, “He was very good today. He was skating, he didn’t wait. There were times he had it, he wasn’t flat-footed, he was being aggressive, he wasn’t looking to defer. A good step to play against the top team in the league. Good for him.”
In other news, Matvei Michkov is set to celebrate his 21st birthday on Tuesday. He recently recorded two assists in a victory over the Buffalo Sabres, moving him past Behn Wilson for the most assists (45) by a Flyer before turning 21. He now trails Peter Zezel, who holds the team record with 82 assists, and Eric Lindros, who had 70.
The Flyers will need to regroup quickly as they continue their season, focusing on maintaining their resilience and consistency in performance as they look forward to future matchups.
