Postgame RAV4: Late Goal Sinks Flyers in Detroit

The Philadelphia Flyers are now winless in nine games (0-6-3). On Thursday evening, they lost 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. 

The first 15 minutes of the game were low-event  and even listless at times. However, play picked up considerably toward the end of the frame.

Matvei Michkov (3rd goal of the season) sent the Flyers to the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. Scoring chances were 14-9 in Detroit's favor including an 8-3 edge in high danger opportunities.

Detroit built considerable momentum off their first power play and eventually  took over the game. Moments after a poor Flyers power play ended in a turnover, Anton Johansson blasted home a one-time to knot the game at 1-1.

The Red Wings continued to control the majority of the play for the remainder of the second period. Thanks to Woll, the Flyers hung on to take a 1-1 deadlock into the third period.

As time ran down under the final five minutes of regulation, Andrew Copp (1st) put Detroit ahead, 2-1.

Joseph Woll stopped 24 of 26 shots in a losing cause. Winning goalie Daniil Tarasov made 17 saves on 18 shots.

1ST PERIOD

Woll stopped a deflected shot and Jamie Drysdale boxed his man out on the rebound. At 4:55, the Flyers' goalie stopped an Alex DeBrincat shot from the left circle.

Trevor Zegras collected a Dylan Larkin turnover and had a look from the right circle. His shot was blocked by Axel Sandin-Pellika. Moments later, it happened again. Finally, on a third attempt later in the shift, Zegras forced Tarasov to make a save.

Noel Acciari broke up a dangerous developing scoring chance for Detroit. Play swung the other way. Sanheim put the puck at the cage with Porter Martone in front. Martone bunted at an aerial puck. Michkov knocked into the net from the far post at 17:32. Sanheim initially received the lone assist. Later, it was changed to an unassisted goal.

At 18:43, after Tippett was drilled by Moritz Seider at the other end of the ice, Saheim dropped Lucas Raymond after Woll froze the puck. The reigning Barry Ashbee Trophy winner took a roughing penalty.

Shots:  Flyers 5 - Red Wings 9

Faceoffs: Flyers 13 - Red Wings 8

2ND PERIOD

Detroit started the period with 1:17 of carryover power play time. The Flyers killed it off but the Red Wings had four shots on goal over the two minutes.

Martone moved in on the forecheck and was interfered with by Anton Johansson at 2:18. The Flyers did not register a shot on goal, but Tarasov knocked aside a Tyson Foerster flank shot that was going wide.

With play back at 5-on-5, Detroit moved down the ice and scored. Johansson exited the box and joined a 2-on-1 off a Flyers turnover. Taking a feed from Larkin, the Swede hammered a one-timer past Woll at 4:31. Justin Faulk had the secondary assist.

Woll made an outstanding save on Viktor Arvidsson. Moments later, Foerster was penalized for a slashing minor. Detroit applied heavy pressure. 

Four-on-four play ensued at 10:50. Detroit's Anton Johansson was called for cross-checking (heading back to the box). However, Michael Bunting was also penalized on an embellishment ruling. 

Foerster went back to the box for tripping a stickless Debrincat at 18:44 on a poke check attempt.  Cates was stopped on a shorthanded 2-on-1. Detroit once again took carryover power play time into the next period.

Shots:  Flyers 6 (11 overall) - Red Wings 10 (19 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 9 (22 overall) - Red Wings 10  (16  overall)

3RD PERIOD

The  frame started with the Red Wings on the power play. The Flyers held Detroit without a shot: good start to the period but Philly iced the puck as Foerster returned to the ice.

Woll made his 20th save of the game as he turned away a chance at the doorstep. Shots were 2-0.

With 11:27 left, Acciari sent a long distance unscreened shot on goal; Philly's 12th of the game.

At the 10:40 mark, Martone worked his way to a scoring area and drew a tripping power play on Albert Johansson. Philly went to a critical power play.

Larkin had a shorthanded chance. Finally, the Flyers had a late flurry at the Detroit net. Bunting had the best chance. Philly had three shots on the  5-on-4.

At 13:58, Dvorak was clipped on the neck on a deflected puck. He headed off towards the locker room but soon returned.

At 15:22, Copp directed a Rasmussen pass across into the net.Detroit took a 2-1 lead. Nate Danielson had the other helper.

With 1:29 left, Seeler tripped Raymond at the Detroit blueline. That put Philly shorthanded the rest of the way. The Flyers were unable to pull Woll for a long stretch. Finally, Larkin turned the puck over to Bonk. Zegras had a great look but was unable to get the puck to him.

Couturier won the final faceoff. David Jiriicek's shot was blocked by Raymond.

Shots:  Flyers 7 (18 overall) - Red Wings 7 (26 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 10 (32 overall) - Red Wings 12  (28 overall)

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Trevor Zegras - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett

Denver Barkey - Christian Dvorak - Tyson Foerster

Porter Martone - Noah Cates - Matvei Michkov

Michael Bunting - Jack Studnicka - Noel Acciari

Travis Sanheim - Oliver Bonk

Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale

Simon Benoit - David Jiricek

Joseph Woll

[Dan Vladar]

PP1: Drysdale, Dvorak, Michkov, Tippett, Barkey
PP2: Jiricek, Zegras, Foerster, Martone, Bunting

POSTGAME RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Score First

Entering Thursday's tilt, the Flyers yielded the game's first goal in seven of the first eight games. They ended that spell courtesy of Michkov. It was also just the third time Philly has scored in the first period. However, it didn't carry over into the second period. Detroit was the better team.

2. Special Teams

The Flyers went 0-for-2 on the power play. They were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

3. Attention to Detail

This has been elusive for the Flyers -- basic reads, routine passes, puck management, etc. -- throughout the early season. For example, Foerster's late second period tripping penalty came on a poke check attempt on a stickless opponent.

4. Trevor Zegras

Zegras finished with one shot on goal (four attempts) plus one credited takeaway. Michkov's unassisted goal was Philly's lone point of the night (18 shifts, 13:40 TOI).