The Flyers celebrate after Chris VandeVelde's goal in the first period of the Flyers 3-2 overtime win against the Kings. (Photo by Amy Irvin/38Photography)
From the start, the Flyers had a little more jump than usual. Against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Kings, they needed every bit of it.
The Flyers fourth win of the season came the same way the first did, with an overtime goal. Brayden Schenn was the hero this time, but there could have been many others.
In the end, it didn't matter who played hero. The Flyers effort, their best of the season, was enough reason to see the confidence forming in this group.
Michael Raffl opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season and third in the last two games. Jake Voracek picked up his 200th career assist on Chris VandeVelde's first goal as a Flyer. Ray Emery played another solid game in net.
But more important than anything, the Flyers took a challenging opponent and faced them with vigor. This wasn't the scared bunch that head coach Craig Berube called "deer in the headlines" just one week earlier. This was a team that thought they could hang with and beat anyone.
"We're trying not to look at the big picture too much," Claude Giroux said. "We're trying to go game by game. We've been playing well but there's times during games where we can't have a let down."
Perhaps the most unlikely part of all four Flyers wins on the season has been the goalie. Emery was in net again on Tuesday for the third straight game. He made 38 saves.
"It feels good but you take things game by game," Emery said. "It helps when the boys are playing like they are. When things are going well, it's always a bit easier in there."
If not for Emery, the Flyers may have lost the last two games.
"He's been lights out even in stretches where we haven't been playing our best," Schenn said.
The Flyers tough October schedule is almost over, and as the month has worn on, the Flyers have grown.
"Good team effort again tonight," Berube said. "We've been battling. Last four or five games I think our competitiveness and our team game have been really good. That's a tough team over there."
"It's really early in the season but to beat them gives us self-confidence," Raffl said.
The confidence showed on Tuesday. For the success to continue, the confidence will have to carry over.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
