Fedotov experiences ups and downs as Flyers fall to Flames for first loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers lost the second straight game in their season opener with a 6-3 decision Saturday night to the Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.
John Tortorella’s club trailed by just one goal with less than five and a half minutes remaining. But he also trailed for almost five and a half minutes of the match.
Travis Konecny scored two of the Flyers’ goals and Joel Farabee scored the other.
The Flyers are 1-1-0. They beat the Canucks 3-2 in a shootout on Friday night..
Against the Flames, the Flyers made 40 shots. Calgary slammed the door with an empty-net goal.
Saturday night was the home opener for the Flames, who are off to a 2-0-0 start. The Flyers won’t see them again until March 4 in Philadelphia.
• In his second career NHL start, Ivan Fedotov made 26 saves on 31 shots. He wasn’t as bad as the shot differential or his numbers may indicate.
Two of Calgary’s goals came on the power play, the second at 5-on-3. Tyson Foerster and Travis Sanheim were in the penalty box when the Flames cut their lead to 3-1 during the second period.
Foerster dropped the gloves to defend Jamie Drysdale after the defenseman took a big hit from Martin Pospisil in the neutral zone. But the 22-year-old winger received an instigator, then Sanheim was whistled for a sharp blow.
In the third period, Calgary made it 4-2 after a 2-on-1 run with 5:14 left. The Flyers were caught four deep in the offensive zone and only Cam York was back in coverage. After that goal, Jonathan Huberdeau scored 48 seconds later and that was pretty much the game.
Before halfway through the first period, Fedotov was hurt by a brilliant ricochet from Huberdeau, then by a power play shot from MacKenzie Weegar. The 6-foot-7 goalie struggled to track the puck on the power play goal, but Weegar’s shot was legitimate.
Could Fedotov have played better overall? Absolutely. He was a little unorthodox at times. However, the power plays, odd man rush and poor rebounding didn’t help either.
Flames goalie Dustin Wolf faced the Flyers for the first time in his career and made 37 saves.
• Matvei Michkov scored his first career NHL point with the Flyers on a power play in the third period and their net emptied for the extra attacker.
The 19-year-old winger found Konecny to cut Calgary’s lead to 5-3. Konecny made sure to recover the scoring puck for Michkov.
The Flyers gave Jett Luchanko a break with the match being the second night of a back-to-back set. The rookie center turned 18 just two months ago and the Flyers had the reliable Noah Cates ready with fresh legs.
• Konecny’s other goal came on a second-half penalty. His shorthanded sidekick Scott Laughton helped him.
Konecny leads the NHL in shorthanded goals since 2022-23 with 10, while Laughton is first in shorthanded points over that span with 16.
• Nick Seeler, injured missed a second straight game as the Flyers played with the same six defensemen from the first game.
• The Flames honored the lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau before the game. The brothers were killed by a drunk driver on August 29 in Salem County, New Jersey, while riding their bicycles.
Johnny Gaudreau played nine years in Calgary and was a six-time All-Star with the Flames.
• The Flyers begin the second half of this season-opening four-game road trip Tuesday when they visit Connor McDavid and the Oilers (10 p.m. ET/ESPN).
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