The Flyers got exactly what they were looking for on Black Friday.
Calvin Pickard stopped all 31 shots for his fourth career shutout as the Flyers took down the red-hot Rangers, 4-0.
How did Dale Weise respond to playing on the second line and which Flyer recorded the Gordie Howe hat trick?
Here are my observations from the Wells Fargo Center:
• I wasn't on board with Dave Hakstol's decision to move Weise up to the second line, especially over James van Riemsdyk. But Weise turned in a solid game playing alongside Nolan Patrick and Jakub Voracek. He battled in the trenches early on, had a very nice give-and-go with Patrick and came up with a legitimate scoring chance on Henrik Lundqvist in the second period. He would have had a rebound attempt but was hooked on the play, drawing a penalty.
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• After that dreadful 4-0 first period in Buffalo, the Flyers came out with more energy, better passing, fewer turnovers and a more concerted effort to get bodies to the net in the first 10 minutes. They were ultimately rewarded at the 13:21 mark as Travis Konecny's shot deflected off Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei, the result of Sean Couturier driving his way to the net.
Thank u, TK 🙏
Flyers lead 1-0 in the first! pic.twitter.com/6osqJXkVmI— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) November 23, 2018
• It was the first time in five games the Flyers scored in the opening period. When this happens, they usually have success. Regardless of whether they score first or lead after the opening period, when the Flyers produce a goal in the opening period, their record is 9-2-1.
• With Lundqvist in net, the Flyers made it a high priority to get bodies and traffic around the net. On several occasions in the first period, Lundqvist looked over at the referee to voice his displeasure over the Flyers' aggressiveness in and around the crease, but the officials were intent on letting both teams play early on.
• If I was Ian Laperriere and Hakstol, I would show the Flyers' first penalty kill against the Rangers. It was hard on entries into the zone and it did an excellent job of pressuring the Rangers along the boards and clearing pucks as a result. The only miscue was overloading coverage, allowing Tony DeAngelo to blast a shot from the left circle, but it was the only Rangers shot during those two minutes. Not allowing a power play to set up is the best way of killing it off.
• The goal-scoring Konecny decided to pick a fight with newly-acquired Rangers winger Ryan Strome in a battle of lightweights. Konecny was playing with his typical pesky edge and Strome looked like he was trying to breathe some life into his team. Konecny finished the game with the Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, two assists and a fight.
👊 TK DROPS THE GLOVES 👊 pic.twitter.com/RYf9rX3MGo— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) November 23, 2018
• Pickard stopped some big 2-on-1 Rangers opportunities in the first two periods, but he came up with a game-saver with 5:56 remaining in regulation as he stoned Lias Andersson, who broke in all alone off a Flyers turnover. That would have tied the game. As well as Pickard played, Lundqvist was just as good as he kept the Rangers in it until the Flyers pulled away late in the third period.
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