Highlights Beyond Highlights- Feb. 25 vs. Penguins

The Flyers went through a bit of a milestone weekend that unfortunately did not net them any points, but might be one that springs them on a bit of a late-winter run.  Some of the things the Flyers have done in this two-week span will be part of any successful navigation of March, when the Flyers have to play the majority of their games against teams currently in playoff spots.

At the moment, a lot of the team’s positive aspects center around Scott Laughton, who is now on a career-high seven-game point streak.  He was in the middle of a lot this weekend, starting with the club’s only goal in the Rangers game.

Somehow on this tally, Laughton manages to continue a play behind the net while falling down, which is something he was able to do on an actual wraparound goal earlier this season.  First though came a puck retrieval that sent it out to the point to continue an attack in the Rangers zone.  After the shot from Sanheim, it’s another retrieval from Laughton, whose goal is simply to get it around the net as fast as possible.  He loses an edge while doing so, but it’s a successful feed to Tyson Foerster.

Philadelphia’s first goal in the Pittsburgh game starts with an excellent read from Laughton. Note the rebound from the first shot in the clip goes to the far corner, and it’s Olle Lycksell and Laughton who pursue the Penguin who picked it up. Laughton leaves Lycksell to apply the pressure and instead he peels off and positions himself in an outlet lane. That’s exactly where Pittsburgh tried to play the puck, and it hits Laughton in the back of the foot.  That’s where the scoring chance begins, and it continues because when Travis Sanheim jumps in on the offense, Laughton stays back at the point.  That’s where the loose puck ends up right before the goal.

The Flyers are no strangers to shorthanded goals this year, but there have been lots of differences in the little plays that led to them.  On this one, it’s Noah Cates and his deception coming into the zone that disabled Rickard Rakell headed into the zone.  That contributed to the confusion in the Penguins’ defense of this play that left Laughton wide open for the goal.