Hidden Game: Canadiens explode against slumping Flyers in 9-3 rout

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We dedicate this version of the Hidden Sport to beleaguered Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella.

Torts, as he’s affectionately referred to, has had a love/hate — principally the latter — relationship with the media over time, however few bench bosses have been extra vibrant, opinionated and controversial.

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The Boston native, 65, is now along with his fifth group following stops in New York, Tampa Bay, Vancouver and Columbus. His groups have made 12 playoff appearances and he has one Stanley Cup victory, with the Lightning in 2004. Tortorella has 740 profession victories and it seems he received’t get one other win this season following Tuesday night time’s embarrassing 9-3 loss to the Canadiens on the Bell Centre.

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The Flyers at the moment are on a season-high eight-game shedding streak and seem destined to overlook the playoffs once more. We’re unsure whether or not his gamers have stopped listening or whether or not Tortorella merely has had sufficient of this racket and would possibly ponder retirement?

“I don’t assume lots of people are enjoying their finest hockey,” he stated earlier this week — comparatively calmly, we’d add.

Philadelphia’s final victory got here on March 23. Tortorella’s kiss of loss of life might need occurred final month, when he made captain Sean Couturier a wholesome scratch for 2 video games.

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Who says the Canadiens can’t rating: The 9 targets for this apparently offensively-challenged crew represented a season excessive. On eight different events, Montreal has scored 5 in a sport. The Canadiens, enjoying their third sport in 4 nights, displayed no sluggishness. In addition they ended a three-game shedding streak.

Information you want (Half I): Of their final 11 video games, the Flyers have allowed 50 targets whereas scoring 27.

That is the way you begin a sport: One shot, one aim. Solely 65 seconds had elapsed earlier than Juraj Slafkovsky deflected Mike Matheson’s shot off his skate. The previous first total draft alternative final season would add two extra, producing his first NHL hat trick. He now has 19 targets and 48 factors in 78 video games. Matheson retrieved the puck for him after his third aim.

Most blocks on one shift: Over a 38-second span within the first interval, Nick Seeler blocked a Slafkovsky shot; Jamie Drysdale obtained in entrance of 1 from Cole Caufield; Ryan Poehling blocked Slafkovsky and Seeler denied Caufield. It might need been the spotlight of the night time for the guests.

Shut, however no cigar: Within the fifth minute of the second interval, Alex Newhook arrange Joel Armia, who was in alone. However his shot went large to the stick facet. It will have been Armia’s seventeenth aim this season, a profession excessive.

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Don’t really feel sorry for him: Armia scored the Canadiens’ remaining aim, late within the third interval.

Information you want (Half II): With a first-period help, Cole Caufield now has 60 factors, becoming a member of captain and crew chief Nick Suzuki, who has 75 factors. The final time Montreal had a number of gamers attain the 60-point plateau was throughout the 2014-15 season, achieved by Max Pacioretty, P.Okay. Subban and Tomas Plekanec.

Cross of the night time: Suzuki, cross-ice to Slafkovsky — previous two defenders — giving the Canadiens a 2-0 lead at 8:43 of the second interval.

Nice moments in time-out historical past: After Brendan Gallagher scored the primary of his two targets, at 10:46 of the second interval making it 3-0, Tortorella known as a day trip. We’re unsure what he stated on the Flyers’ bench, however 36 seconds later Slafkovsky made it 4-0.

The drought is over: Josh Anderson scored his first aim since March 2, and solely his ninth this season in 74 video games, rising the result in 5-0 at 12:42 of the second interval.

Sit: The Anderson aim signified the top for Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who made solely 12 stops for a save share of .706.

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The place’s Bernie Dad or mum while you want him: Ersson’s alternative, rookie Ivan Fedotov, enjoying solely his third NHL sport, wasn’t any higher. He allowed 4 targets on 13 photographs for a save share of .692. Shouldn’t a man 6-foot-7 be capable of block extra of the web?

Information you want (Half III): Slafkovsky, at 20 years and 10 days, turned the second-youngest participant in franchise historical past with a three-goal sport, passing Man Lafleur, who was 20 years and 82 days. The youngest? Stéphane Richer (19 years, 283 days).

Unusual, however true: Whereas he recorded an help, giving him one aim and 9 factors in 41 video games, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard went a tenth consecutive sport with out registering a shot.

Clubhouse leaders: Philadelphia defenceman Drysdale was a minus-6, barely forward of his blueline companion Seeler, at minus-5.

Deceptive stat of the night time: Photographs: 36-30 Flyers. Last rating: 9-3 Canadiens.

It has come to this: A disgruntled fan threw a Flyers sweater on the ice following the Canadiens’ eighth aim.

They stated it: “It’s an excellent feeling,” Slafkovsky stated. “I don’t keep in mind scoring a hat trick. We received. Lastly we scored loads of targets. I’m completely happy for that much more. Too unhealthy we’re out of the (playoffs) this 12 months, nevertheless it’s good that we’re constructing our sport. It’s only a good day. Unhealthy sleep (Monday night time) however an excellent day. I simply couldn’t go to sleep.”

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“It’s an excellent feeling with our group proper now,” Gallagher stated. “We actually really feel like we’re enjoying good hockey. As a gaggle we really feel like we’re constructing. It at all times helps while you rating within the first minute … minute-and-a-half.”

“It was a enjoyable sport to be part of,” stated Christian Dvorak, who returned for the primary time since Dec. 30 following surgical procedure for a torn pectoral muscle — and scored twice. “You’re not fascinated about scoring. You simply wish to play an excellent, sound sport.”

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