New Coach, Same Result as Avalanche Hand Flyers 9th Straight Loss

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

There was a different face behind the Flyers bench on Monday night, and that did seem to have an effect early. The Flyers scored the first goal and were nearing the halfway point of the first period playing a solid game. 

Then just like it has so many times during this losing streak, the momentum disappeared in an instant and the snowball effect started. A shorthanded goal for the Avalanche got the game tied and was the first of four straight goals. The Flyers managed a small rally in the opening period to trim the margin to one twice in the game, but eventually fell for the ninth straight game with a 7-5 loss to the Avalanche at Wells Fargo Center.

If you like scoring, the first period was for you. 

The Flyers opened things up at 6:02 with a one-timer from Claude Giroux.

The Flyers were on a power play moments later, when the momentum shifted for the Avalanche. Giroux fell in the offensive zone as he was challenged for the puck and it resulted in a two-on-one for the Avalanche. Logan O'Connor fed Erik Johnson for the shorthanded goal, tying things up at one at 9:56.

At 13:13, the Avalanche took the lead. Off the rush, Gabriel Landeskog got space and fired a shot that beat Martin Jones, making it 2-1 on his ninth of the season.

Just 15 seconds later, the Avalanche got a power play. They were able to get the power-play goal at 15:16, as Alex Newhook beat Jones with a shot from the slot to make it 3-1.

Just eight second after that, another Flyers penalty put the Avalanche back on the man advantage. Cale Makar then took matters into his own hands, skating right through the Flyers defense and scoring to make it a 4-1 game just 26 seconds later.

Before the end of the period, the Flyers rallied back a bit. Just 46 seconds after Makar's goal, Travis Konecny set up Oskar Lindblom from behind the net for his first goal of the season to make it 4-2.

The Flyers were back on the power play moments later, and this time did take advantage with another one-timer from Giroux with 1:40 left in the period to make it 4-3.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 14-8 Colorado.

The scoring continued just 1:42 into the second. Valeri Nichushkin scored on a turnaround shot from the slot to make it a 5-3 game.

There were plenty of scoring chances for both sides in the middle period. Shots in the period were 17-13 Colorado.

The Flyers got an early goal in the third. Kevin Hayes set up Cam Atkinson going to the net for a tip-in goal, cutting the lead to one just 2:16 into the period.

The Avalanche got the goal back on the power play at 5:42. Just eight seconds into a 5-on-3, Nazem Kadri scored to make it a 6-4 game.

With 8:25 to play, a turnover by Keith Yandle allowed the Avalanche to get the puck in front to Tyson Jost for the seventh goal of the night to make it a 7-4 game.

Scott Laughton capped the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the final two minutes of the game.

Justus Annunen made 27 saves in the win, his first career victory in the NHL. Jones made 43 saves on 50 shots in the loss.

Four Colorado players – Johnson, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard, and Mikko Rantanen – had two points. Thirteen Avalanche players recorded a point. Giroux, Konecny, Hayes, and Travis Sanheim each had two points for the Flyers. 

The Flyers next play on Wednesday night, hitting the road to face the New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Claude Giroux (8) (Morgan Frost, Rasmus Ristolainen) 6:02
• COL Erik Johnson (3) SH (Logan O'Connor) 9:56
• COL Gabriel Landeskog (9) (Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews) 13:13
• COL Alex Newhook (5) PP (Samuel Girard, Toews) 15:16
• COL Cale Makar (11) PP (Justus Annunen) 15:42
• PHI Oskar Lindblom (1) (Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim) 16:28
• PHI Giroux (9) PP (Konecny, Keith Yandle) 18:20

2nd Period

• COL Valeri Nichushkin (7) (Johnson, Girard) 1:42

3rd Period

• PHI Cam Atkinson (9) (Kevin Hayes, Sanheim) 2:16
• COL Nazem Kadri (10) PP (Mikko Rantanen) 5:42
• COL Tyson Jost (4) (Jayson Megna) 11:35
• PHI Scott Laughton (5) SH (Hayes) 18:35

Game Statistics