THW's Flyers News

THW's Flyers news for 03/21/2021

March 21, 2021

The latest Flyers stories from The Hockey Writers.

 

 03/21/2021 edition:

By Greg Boysen on Mar 20, 2021 08:36 am

This date in National Hockey League history has provided us with a little bit of everything. There were broken records, personal milestones, plenty of hat tricks and one very eventful night in 1993. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to enjoy all the best moments March 20 has given us over the years.

Bobby Hull Has a Huge Date

Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks entered the final game of the regular season on March 20, 1960, trailing Bronco Horvath of the Boston Bruins by one point for the scoring title as the two teams met at Boston Garden. Horvath was injured in the first period while Hull had a goal and an assist during a 5-5 tie to win his first Art Ross Trophy.

Nine years later, on March 20, 1969, the Blackhawks and Bruins skated to another 5-5 tie. Hull scored two goals to give him an NHL-record 55 on the season. His second goal broke his own record of 54 he set during the 1965-66 season. He also became the NHL’s second 100-point scorer just 19 days after Phil Esposito of the Bruins was the first player to hit triple digits in a season.

Boston Bruins Greats Make History

Goaltender Frank Brimsek made 27 saves and the Bruins had 50 shots on goal on March 20, 1941, as they opened their Stanley Cup Semifinals series with a 3-0 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On the same night Hull scored his 55th goal, Bobby Orr made history as well. The legendary blueliner celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring his 21st goal of the season. This set the single-season record for goals by a defenseman, breaking the old mark set by Flash Hollett during the 1944-45 season. The historic goal game with just one second left in the third period to force the 5-5 draw.

Johnny Bucyk picked up two assists, on March 20, 1971, in a 5-3 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. The two helpers gave him 107 points, tying the single-season NHL record for scoring by a left wing. The win was Boston’s 13th in a row and extended their undefeated streak on home ice to 27 games (26-0-1).

Two new team records were set on March 20, 1993, during a 7-4 loss at the Detroit Red Wings. Ray Bourque picked up his 795th career assist, passing Bucyk for the most in team history. Adam Oates set the team record for the most assists in a season by a center when recorded No. 78.

A Busy Night in 1993

The two records set by the Bruins’ Hall of Famers was just the beginning of a night to remember in 1993. In that same game, John Ogrodnick of the Red Wings scored twice to become the 42nd player in NHL history to score 400 career goals.

In Pittsburgh, Mario Lemieux scored four goals for the second straight game to lead the Penguins to a 9-3 win over the rival Flyers. Two nights early, he dropped four on the Washington Capitals in a 7-5 victory.

Brett Hull scored his 50th goal for the fourth straight season in the St. Louis Blues 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Tomas Sandstrom scored in his first night back after missing 21 games with a broken jaw to give the Kings their 500th win in franchise history. Luc Robitaille scored a goal in his 10th straight game and became the first player to lit the lamp against 22 teams in one season.

Alexander Mogilny scored his 70th and 71st goals of the season, while Pat LaFontaine picked up three assists in a 3-1 Buffalo Sabres’ win at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Patrice Brisebois scored the 9,000th goal in Montreal Canadiens franchise history, while Kirk Muller scored a goal and added three assists in a 6-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Defenseman Uwe Krupp scored a goal and added four assists to lead the New York Islanders to a 7-2 win at the Vancouver Canucks.

Hat Tricks on the Menu

Maurice Richard scored his 14th career hat trick on March 20, 1948, with three goals in three different ways. He scored at even strength, a power-play goal and one while shorthanded during a 7-4 Canadiens’ win against the Blackhawks. Montreal set a single-game league record with three shorthanded goals. Eight years later, he extended his Stanley Cup record with his fifth career playoff hat trick, including the game-winning goal, as the Canadiens won 7-1 beat the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals.

Ted Lindsay scored his fourth career hat trick on March 20, 1955, and had two assists to lead the Red Wings to a 6-0 win over the Canadiens. Terry Sawchuk tied his own team record with his ninth straight victory and became the first NHL goaltender to have three 40-win seasons in his career.

Rookie Bernie Nicholls became the first player in Kings’ history to score hat tricks in consecutive games on March 20, 1982, in a 7-5 win against the Penguins.

Mike Bossy scored his 37th career hat trick and had an assist on March 20, 1986, while Denis Potvin picked up four assists as the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-1.

Tony Tanti scored his sixth career hat trick, including an overtime goal to lead the Canucks to a 6-5 win against the visiting Winnipeg Jets. Included was his 68th career power-play goal, a new team record.

Eric Lindros scored his second consecutive hat trick on March 20, 1995, as the Flyers won 8-4 over the visiting Canadiens. He became the second player in franchise history to score three or more goals in back-to-back games.

On that same night, Jason Arnott picked up his first career hat trick, with David Oliver and Doug Weight each earning three assists as the Edmonton Oilers won 5-2 over the visiting Calgary Flames.

Odds & Ends

On March 20, 1918, the Toronto Arenas, now the Maple Leafs, became the first NHL team to play for the Stanley Cup. Reg Noble had two goals and an assist as they beat the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey League 5-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Future Hall of Famer Frank Mahovlich played in his first NHL game on March 20, 1957, when the Maple Leafs lost 2-1 to the Canadiens.

Two brothers faced each other as opposing goaltenders for the first time on March 20, 1971, when Ken Dryden and the Canadiens beat Dave Dryden and the Sabres 5-2. Neither brother started the game, but Ken was called into duty after Rogie Vachon was injured in the second period. Buffalo coach Punch Imlach immediately pulled starter Joe Daley and inserted Dave for the historic moment.

Guy Lafleur scored a goal to extend his NHL record 23-game point streak on March 29, 1977, in the Canadiens’ 6-1 win against the Blues. One year later, he became the seventh player in team history to score 300 career goals during a 5-1 win at Vancouver.

Also, on March 20, 1978, Bernie Parent became the 13th goaltender in NHL history to record 250 career victories, as the Flyers won 4-2 over the visiting Islanders.

Phil Esposito scored to reach the 40-goal mark for the eighth time in his career on March 20, 1979, to tie Bobby Hull for the most 40-goal seasons in NHL history. His goal earned the Rangers a point in a 2-2 tie with the Capitals.

Bryan Trottier scored twice on March 20, 1986, to become the second player in Islanders franchise history to score 350 goals. He also had an assist in New York’s 5-2 win over the visiting New Jersey Devils.

On that same evening, Marcel Dionne picked up an assist to move into second place on the all-time NHL scoring list, passing Esposito, with his 1,591st career point when the Kings lost 6-3 at the Bruins.

In Philadelphia on this night, Tim Kerr became the first Flyer to record three consecutive 50-goal seasons in a 5-1 win over the Penguins. This was head coach Mike Keenan’s 100th victory in his 152nd game, the second-fastest in NHL history.

Paul Coffey became the first defenseman in NHL history to score 100 points in a season with two teams on March 20, 1989, when he was credited with an assist in the Penguins’ 7-2 loss at the Minnesota North Stars.

Wayne Gretzky scored twice on March 20, 1994, to tie Gordie Howe’s all-time goals record with 801 during the Los Angles Kings’ 6-6 tie with the San Jose Sharks.

Bourque scored the final regular-season goal of his remarkable career on March 20, 2001, in the Colorado Avalanche’s 4-1 win against the Sharks. This was the 410th goal of his career, still the all-time record for defensemen.

The number 30 was wild on March 20, 2004, as Mats Sundin scored his 30th goal of the season for the 11th time in his career as the Maple Leafs won 5-2 against the visiting Avalanche. The victory marked the ninth 30-win season in the career of goaltender Ed Belfour.

Later that night, Robitaille had a goal and an assist to tie Bucyk for the most points in NHL history for a left with 1,369. The effort wasn’t quite good enough as the Kings were beaten on home ice 4-2 by the Red Wings.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 602nd career goal on March 20, 2018, to pass Jari Kurri for 19th place on the league’s all-time goals list. His league-leading 44th goal of the season helped the Capitals defeat the Dallas Stars 4-3.

Happy Birthday to You

In addition to Orr turning 73 today, 17 other current and former NHL players were born on this date including Charlie Simmer (67), Dennis Wideman (38), Valtteri Filppula (37), Sergei Kostitsyn (34), Nick Leddy (30), Justin Falk (29), Nick Paul (26) Nikolai Knyzhov (23) and Trevor Zegras (20).

By Colin Newby on Mar 19, 2021 03:13 pm

The Philadelphia Flyers suffered an embarrassing 9-0 blowout loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday in which their season-long inadequacies came to full display. It was their sixth loss in nine tries before a recovery win against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday. The problems this Flyers team faces are rampant. The defensive corps has been extremely disappointing, and the collective defensive effort is glaringly unreliable.

The goaltending has been inconsistent, as 22-year-old Carter Hart continues to struggle while Brian Elliott has cooled off after a hot streak to begin the season. Regardless of shortcomings, they currently sit in the fifth spot in the MassMutual East Division, still with an opportunity to make a playoff push.

General manager Chuck Fletcher has key evaluations to make prior to the upcoming trade deadline on April 12. Trade deadline moves often indicate whether a franchise is fixated on an upcoming postseason run or looking to focus more on long-term goals. Despite their early-season struggles, the Flyers need to be aggressive in making an acquisition benefitting the current roster given their franchise trajectory over the past nine years and their unique organizational blend of young talent and aging talent.

Franchise Trajectory

The Flyers went seven consecutive seasons from 2012-13 through 2018-19 without winning a postseason series. The drought consisted of opening-round exits to the New York Rangers in the 2014 Playoffs, the Washington Capitals in the 2016 Playoffs, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2018 Playoffs. Each of the three respective opponents featured elite NHL talent that stifled overmatched Flyers teams. A Philadelphia fanbase accustomed to competitive hockey prior to the NHL lockout following the 2011-12 season endured the longest span between postseason series victories in franchise history.

The Flyers entrusted former goaltender Ron Hextall with general manager duties in May 2014 with hopes for a franchise rebuild. Hextall’s draft picks and player development strategies during his management tenure in Philadelphia are currently looked on positively in most NHL circles. However, the tenure ended in Nov 2018, while the rebuilding process within the organization seemed to be moving along at an overly tedious pace.

As Philadelphia moved forward into the tenure of Fletcher and the first season under head coach Alain Vigneault in 2019-20, the Flyers appeared poised to begin a new era. They finally snapped their streak of playoff futility with a series victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the Toronto bubble last season. Young, homegrown Flyers talent like Ivan Provorov, Hart, Travis Konecny, and Joel Farabee joined forces with veterans Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, and Sean Couturier and found tremendous team chemistry aided by the additions of Kevin Hayes and Matt Niskanen.

Despite a loss to the Islanders in the ensuing round, optimism swirled among the fanbase. The rebuild appeared to have finally come to fruition. The Flyers returned the majority of their key contributors from last season. They looked primed to contend for the East Division and a Stanley Cup entering the 2020-21 season.

Now Is the Time

The asset management during the rebuild was long and arduous, especially for a franchise with as rich of a history as the Philadelphia Flyers. Hextall’s patient philosophy included severe hesitation to forfeit draft capital or unpolished prospects for proven NHL talent. The most significant deadline acquisitions for the Flyers during his tenure were underwhelming names like Radko Gudas, Valtteri Filppula, and Petr Mrazek.

While Hextall’s approach benefitted the organization from a long-term standpoint in many ways, but Fletcher should not take the same approach. The purpose of allocating organizational resources towards the future is to eventually build a team with the talent level that the Flyers currently own. Fletcher needs to recognize the franchise trajectory in his evaluation of the 2020-21 team, and he should be willing to make a significant move prior to the deadline if it means losing draft picks or prospects in exchange for proven NHL talent.

The struggles of young players, namely Hart, and the inability to fill the void left by Niskanen’s retirement should not convince the Flyers to sway from the confidence they built after taking a major step forward last season (Flyers at the halfway point: Can they make the playoffs out of the tough East Division?, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 18/03/21). While the first half of the shortened 2020-21 season has not turned out the way the Flyers hoped, they still sit in striking distance of a playoff spot with more than enough opportunities to gain ground in head-to-head matchups against division opponents currently sitting in playoff position.

The case can be made for the Flyers to stand pat at the deadline. Their struggles during the first half of the season have led many to believe the team is not one player away from Stanley Cup contention, and young players fitting into the organization’s long-term plans can be found up and down the roster. The salary cap uncertainty and looming expansion draft this summer also aren’t making matters easy on current NHL general managers. However, the Flyers also need to consider the shrinking window of opportunity for their veteran contributors.

The 33-year-old Giroux is only under contract through the 2021-22 season, and the 31-year-old Voracek is no guarantee to stay in Philadelphia past the expansion draft. Both players are invaluable to the organization, and their respective career trajectories should factor into the organization’s plans just as much as the young corps of talent built during Hextall’s tenure.

On the Horizon

Fletcher has options for trade partners to improve the Flyers’ roster, especially on the blue line. Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators and John Klingberg of the Dallas Stars highlight the list of available names (LeBrun: 4 potential trade destinations for Mattias Ekholm, The Athletic, 20/02/21). Secondary options include Rasmus Ristolainen of the Buffalo Sabres and Alex Goligoski of the Arizona Coyotes, among others.

Ekholm is the most attractive name on the list. He would presumably be inserted immediately into a top-pair role-playing alongside Provorov despite the uncertain chemistry of two left-handed defensemen on the ice together. Klingberg, a right-handed shot, could also add top pair value and valuable veteran stability to an inexperienced group. Fletcher needs to pursue a trade aggressively, and parting ways with early-round draft picks or top prospects Morgan Frost or Tyson Foerster should not be off the table in trade discussions.

A new face would provide an opportunity to solve the woes of the Flyers blueliners. If Ekholm or Klingberg can play the role left void by Niskanen’s sudden retirement, the defensemen currently on the roster would have the pressure taken off their shoulders. They would be put into more suitable roles on the second and third pairs and eliminate the need for Vigneault to shuffle his pairs in failed attempts to compensate for Niskanen’s absence.

The Flyers will not earn a playoff berth in the East Division without major improvement in their game, and the best opportunity to find that improvement is through the acquisition of a marquee player.

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