Flyers get waxed by Dallas by: Corey Welk

Flyers vs. Dallas January 9th was my first night in the Philadelphia Flyers press box as media and this is what I took from the game.

In an intense match against the Dallas Stars, the Philadelphia Flyers faced challenges that ultimately led to a 4-1 defeat. The game unfolded over three periods, each marked by distinct moments that contributed to the outcome.

**First Period**

The opening period set a troubling tone for the Flyers. Early on, Drysdale coughed up the puck at the top of the circle, allowing Dallas to capitalize quickly and score their first goal from a backdoor play. This defensive lapse underscored a recurring theme throughout the game: a lack of coverage on the backdoor. Cates attempted to respond with a backdoor pass to Brink, but it went just wide. Despite some promising puck movement during the breakout, the Flyers struggled to convert opportunities.

Sanheim and Ristolainen made several aggressive offensive plays within the first ten minutes, trying to shift momentum in favor of the Flyers. However, another goal followed, with Drysdale and Seeler both being tagged as -2. Their defensive efforts faltered again, leading to a goal that further compounded the team's woes.

Foerster's ill-timed swing and miss on a stretch pass at the blue line resulted in a turnover, which Dallas quickly turned into a 3-on-1 opportunity. Notably, the Flyers were winning 50/50 pucks in the offensive zone, but their play in the defensive zone was sloppy, leading to missed chances and additional turnovers. Farabee's effort towards the end of the period was commendable, forcing three turnovers that resulted in the Flyers’ first power play opportunity after a hook on Hathaway. Despite the effort, the first period ended with heavy boos from the home crowd, as the Flyers found themselves down 2-0, with shots tied at nine.

**Second Period**

The second period saw Flyers' head coach John Tortorella make significant adjustments by changing the lines while keeping the defensive pairings intact. Frost, Brink, and Forrester remained together, a decision that aimed to spark offensive production. However, the period soon turned sour, as a 2-on-1 opportunity for Dallas resulted in a beautifully executed goal, with Ristolainen left high and dry. The wrist shot sailed over Ersson’s shoulder, just under the crossbar, extending Dallas's lead to 3-0.

Farabee continued to be a standout player, contributing to a 2-on-1 rush with Konecny, but misfortune struck when Konecny rolled the puck over his stick after DeSmith left a big rebound. The crowd’s frustration grew as boos echoed through the arena again, reflecting the mounting disappointment. By the end of the second period, the Flyers had committed a staggering 17 turnovers across the two periods, with Dallas outshooting them 9-8, bringing the total shots to 18 for Dallas and 17 for the Flyers.

**Third Period**

As the third period commenced, the Flyers had to dig deep to avoid a complete collapse. Tippett and Laughton generated a promising 2-on-1 opportunity, but Tippett’s shot rang off the outside of the post, symbolizing the Flyers' ongoing struggle to find the back of the net. However, Frost finally broke through with his eighth goal of the season, scoring off a bank from the boards, with assists from Konecny and Zamula.

With 4:18 left in the game, the Flyers pulled Ersson in a bid to close the gap. Unfortunately, Dallas sealed their victory with an empty-net goal from Heiskanen, finalizing the score at 4-1. The shot totals reflected a slightly more competitive effort from the Flyers, ending at 26-23 in favor of the Flyers, but the scoreboard told a different story.

**End Result**

The game against the Dallas Stars highlighted multiple areas for the Philadelphia Flyers to address moving forward. Defensive lapses, lack of coverage on critical plays, and missed opportunities plagued them throughout the match. While individual efforts, especially from players like Farabee and Frost, provided glimpses of hope, the overall performance left much to be desired. The Flyers will need to regroup and refine their strategies to climb back into contention in their subsequent games.

Photo Credit - Corey Welk

Corey Welk - Olde City Sports Network/ Flyers Alley