Recap

Recap: Dreck Flyers Downed By the Jets, 4-1

by
Eric Reese
March 7, 2025

(Philadelphia Flyers/X)

Dreck (n): Garbage, Junk

When used in a sentence, the Philadelphia Flyers (27-28-8) were dreck versus the Winnipeg Jets (43-16-4). The Wells Fargo Center didn’t have a lot to be excited about. The atmosphere matched the 4-1 mashing.

This is not a performance where one could hide behind a subpar team losing to the best team in the NHL. That reasoning doesn’t have a strong foundation after the Flyers proved they could defeat the Jets last Saturday.

Philadelphia looked like dreck, and John Tortorella completed his postgame press conference well under a minute:

“My thoughts about the game tonight is going to stay in the locker room. What I say up here with you guys [the media] will do the team [the Flyers] no good. We didn’t play well.” – John Tortorella; 3/6/2025

First Period

Shots: 10-8, Jets
Score: 2-0, Jets

Matvei Michkov turned the puck over in the defensive zone, and it was the first of many times Sam Ersson was left out to dry. Nothing about the Flyers’ game looked fast or tight at even-strength in the first period. By the numbers, Winnipeg turned the puck over more often in the first 20:00, but you wouldn’t have guessed that from how it looked. Egor Zamula seemed unaware in his coverage at the slot on Vladislav Namestnikov, but Ersson bailed out the defense.

Michkov served a minor penalty for goaltender interference. He flashed across the crease as Cam York fired a shot on goal, making contact with Eric Comrie. Mark Scheifele jammed the rebound past Ersson, 1-0, with 11:28 remaining in the first period. Philadelphia began 0/1 on the penalty kill versus the best powerplay in the NHL.

There were moments of joy from the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Nick Seeler pinched Mason Appleton in the corner of the defensive zone to strip the puck. Andrei Kuzmenko, Scott Laughton, and Travis Konecny started to generate puck movement in the offensive zone, but Comrie denied each shot.

Tyson Foerster served a minor penalty for tripping. He couldn’t regain possession of the puck after Zamula contained in the offensive zone with a poke check, tripping Neal Pionk in an attempt to forecheck. Nikolaj Ehlers dunked a dribbling puck from Scheifele, 2-0, with 4:47 remaining in the first period. The Flyers finished 0/2 (0%) on the penalty kill.

Second Period

Shots: 19-14, Jets
Score: 4-0, Jets

More dreck followed into the second period. The Jets didn’t allow a shot on goal as a handful of minutes melted off the game clock to begin the second period.

At even strength, Ersson had a commendable first period. However, Scheifele continued to have a spectacular game. He darted a pass across the ice to Kyle Connor. Connor pinpointed his shot on the blocker side, 3-0, with 14:32 remaining in the second period. Tortorella said in his pregame availability that he’s still evaluating Ersson, and that was a save a starting NHL goaltender must make.

Winnipeg dominated. Adam Lowry joined the scoring against Philadelphia, 4-0, with 10:57 remaining in the second period. Appleton centered the puck in the slot to serve the primary assist. The Jets did a great job of clearing York and Travis Sanheim by skating in the offensive zone to generate passing lanes.

Konecny and Laughton made two sound hits along the boards. They resembled the only energy from the Flyers in the second period. Bobby Brink had an opportunity on offense, but in a microcosm of the game, the chance came and went without a threat.

Third Period

Shots: 27-22, Jets
Score: 4-1, Jets

Nino Niederreiter began to serve a minor penalty for elbowing before the second intermission. Philadelphia finished 0/1 (0%) on the powerplay. Michkov and Jamie Drysdale took a couple of shots on goal, but Winnipeg did a fine job of shot-blocking to defend in front of Comrie.

Cole Perfetti had room to shoot at will. He had the space to craft the ideal shots against Ersson. Perfetti wouldn’t become the fifth different goal scorer for the Jets, but turnovers in the defensive zone by the Flyers, namely York, hung Ersson out to dry again.

However, Michkov spoiled the shutout bid. He sniped his 20th of the season past Comrie, 4-1, with 2:42 remaining in regulation. At least Philadelphia could say Winnipeg didn’t skunk them.