Super Structure: Strong net-front presence brings Flyers' power play to life
Members of the Philadelphia Flyers' power-play unit must have been happy to see the month of March come to an end. The team converted on eight of 56 (.143) opportunities with the man advantage in March, closing the month on a 4-for-32 (.125) run - well below their season average.
The unit came alive Saturday afternoon in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, with all three goals coming on the man advantage.
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol noted the importance of the team's power play after the game.
"They did a great job today and that was the difference in the game for us," Hakstol said.
It looked like it would be more of the same for the Flyers' power-play unit Saturday. After failing to convert on their first opportunity with the man advantage, the group looked disorganized following a high-sticking call on the Senators' Alex Chiasson.
The group's fortunes changed when a bad clearing attempt by the Senators landed right on the tape of Jakub Voracek's stick. Voracek immediately spotted Wayne Simmonds speeding toward the goal mouth and threw the puck on net where it was re-directed home.
The next goal began with Simmonds (17) stealing the puck behind the Ottawa net and sending it in front where a mad scramble ensued, with Sean Couturier (14) winning the puck battle and flipping it over an outstretched Andrew Hammond.
The Flyers' presence in front of Hammond paid off again on the eventual game-winner. A trio of Flyers were in position to jump on the rebound from a Brayden Schenn point shot.
When the puck fell to Simmonds, he was able to fire an uncontested shot into the back of the net for his second tally of the game.
For Simmonds, the goals are his 27th and 28th of the season, with 13 of his goals coming on the power play. The Flyers finished 3-for-4 on the power play Saturday, with all three of those goals scored from just outside the blue ice.
"Other than their power-play goals it was probably a 50-50 game, up for grabs," Senators forward Mike Hoffman said. "Sometimes special teams can win you games."
(Images courtesy: NHL)
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