TEMPE, Ariz. ― Morgan Frost’s line just needed to head to the desert to defrost. He, James van Riemsdyk and Owen Tippett helped contribute to all four of the team’s goals, but their efforts weren’t enough in the 5-4 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday.
Frost and van Riemsdyk had started heating up Friday night in Vegas. Over and over, the young center and veteran winger tried to set each other up for scoring chances against the Vegas Golden Knights. They were close enough to draw excitement from the crowd but never finished.
Even so, it was clear they meshed well, van Riemsdyk said. Apparently, they needed just one more game to perfect their connection.
Entering the second period down one, Frost’s line (now with Owen Tippett in place of Zack MacEwen) created momentum with a strong (and long) offensive zone possession. Just like Friday, van Riemsdyk took the puck behind the net and passed it out front. This time, Frost was able to capitalize on the open net. Goalie Karel Vejmelka didn’t even have time to react.
The pair was just getting started. On their next shift, Frost stole the puck and sent it across the ice to van Riemsdyk, who beat Vejmelka with a clean shot. In the final minutes, the duo got Tippett involved when they passed it above the face-off circle and he scored with a wrist shot.
As the team looked for the equalizer after pulling the goalie, all three players were on the ice. Frost assisted on Travis Konecny’s tying goal.
Killed by the kill
After two saves by Carter Hart and a strong effort by the penalty kill, the Flyers had just three seconds before they were in the clear. Instead, they let up a Coyotes power-play goal that not only put them behind but changed the momentum of the game.
Until Rasmus Ristolainen was sent to the penalty box, the Flyers had been controlling the pace of the game, leading in shots on goal and dominating puck possession through the first period. But the goal gave the Coyotes a boost and suddenly the Flyers found themselves defending more.
The Flyers have now let in seven power-play goals in eight games. They were the 10th-worst in the league coming into the game with a 75.3 kill percentage. They now have 23 power-play goals against, and dropped to 74.4%.
York’s fight to stay
Cam York might have had fun with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but he doesn’t want to go back.
He started making his case with a good Flyers season debut Friday, but as John Tortorella said, it was just one game. The sample size is still small, but York gave Tortorella another reason to keep him with his performance Sunday.
While he started on the third pairing, York played well enough to earn top-four ice time, as well as some time playing alongside Travis Sanheim. He helped kill plays and blocked two shots. He also took four shots and contributed to the offense. York skated hard to keep the Flyers in the offensive zone and to jump in on the rush.
By the end of the night, York was plus-four, having been on the ice for all the Flyers goals. When Tortorella pulled the goalie, York was the only defenseman he put on the ice. Tortorella looked to him again as part of the first overtime shift.
Stranded in the desert
Alone in the Flyers zone, Hart stared down Nick Ritchie, flying towards him without a defender in between. Ritchie faked, opening up Hart’s five hole, and he shot it straight through his legs for a go-ahead goal in the third.
The Coyote’s fourth goal wasn’t the first time Hart was left out to dry by his teammates. There were multiple times the Flyers transition defense failed to get back in time, and Hart had to stop shooters without help from his teammates.
Following the power-play goal, the Coyotes’ second goal of the night was scored when Nick Schmaltz picked up the rebound of Ristolainen’s shot and sent it up the ice to Clayton Keller. He beat Hart by moving left and then lifting the puck up over Hart’s right.
The third goal was also the result of a Coyotes rush, although Hart stopped the initial shot attempt. J.J. Moser picked up the rebound from Liam O’Brien’s shot and, while the Flyers were still scrambling to get set, passed it to Jack MacBain, who scored.
What’s next
The Flyers head to Denver for a Tuesday night game against the Colorado Avalanche at 9 p.m.
