FLYERS WIN! Philadelphia Flyers vs Ottawa Senators: Game Summary - Observations - Insights - Highlights & More

Claude Giroux was either a fan favourite or the default whipping boy for the Philadelphia Flyers faithful for the better part of 14 seasons. There is no doubt though, Giroux gave his absolute best to the organization, the city, the fanbase, and the game itself. A true class act and one of the most elite players to ever wear the Orange and Black.

Unfortunately Giroux's time came to end with the Flyers, in a frustrating final season with the club. The Captain was dealt to the Florida Panthers, in a last ditch effort to try and win a Cup, which ended like so many of his playoff attempts in Philadelphia; unsuccessful.

Giroux will be one of the best players in NHL history, not to have won a cup, if he is not successful in securing one prior to retirement.

Owen Tippett was the player the Flyers received in the Giroux trade and while it isn't fair or rationale to compare him to Giroux at the this stage, or likely any stage of his career all eyes are on him to produce for the Flyers. The Flyers faithful will always link Tippett to one of the greatest Flyers of all time and there is pressure on him to produce.

Giroux handcuffed the Flyers organization by limiting his trade option to only the Florida Panthers and there was a sense Tippett wasn't the most sought after return for Giroux and the Panthers were unwilling to move younger,

It didn't take G long; snapping a quick feed past Hart 2:44 into the game for his milestone 300th.

Congratulations to Giroux and a phenomenal accomplishment, but I'm glad it happened in a loss tonight.

1. Should The Flyers Look To Sell More Calls:

The Flyers surrendered five power plays to the Ottawa Senators. Sanheim x 2, Seeler, MacEwen, and Sedlak all picked up minor penalties in the game, but the Flyers kill didn't give up a lot of clean looks, picked off and tipped several passes with active sticks, blocked multiple shots, and of course Carter Hart was the top penalty killer.

John Tortorella appeared frustrated with more than just one of the questionable calls tonight and he has a right to be. The first two calls of the night, one on Sanheim for holding and the second on Seeler for hooking, were difficult to argue.

Zach MacEwen then got called for interference, with the Flyers attempting to gain the zone on the PP. Tyler Motte looked like he sold the call and appeared to be half way into his fall before he even made contact with MacEwen. When a player runs into a pick, like it was alleged MacEwen through, it is not natural to sprawl on your belly, which is how Motte sold it.

Late in the third period it looked like the wily verteran, Giroux, sold another call with his team down 2-1 and struggling to tie it.
Sanheim sealed off the front of the net from Giroux and gave him a slight hip in the process. Giroux knew the contact was coming and easily could have absorbed it, but he sold the call, staying down with the grimacing look on his face. Konecny saw the sell too and gave Giroux a little shot once the play was whistled dead.

Selling calls isn't something the Flyers often do, but it is something we often get burned by (we've all seen the Crosby head snap far too often). Referees should be experience enough to recognize the flops and hard sells, yet we seem to be on the wrong end of the calls more so than we are benefitting from them.

2. Power Play Entries

The soft pass to the wall by the puck carrier on the entry is the most predictable and easily picked off pass in hockey right now. Something has to change! With the defenders standing still on the entry and holding the line, isn't the puck carrier better off doing a soft dump and retrieval themselves; utilizing their speed?

Travis Konecny is the only Flyers player who will sell the fake pass to the wall and maintain control on the entry, it seems.

Turning over the puck at the blue line multiple times per power play needs to be addressed and the entries need to be more efficient.

3. Tortorella's Dog Pound Produces

Zack MacEwen was the odd man out at the beginning of the season and relegated for a short stint in the AHL, before being recalled by the big club. Since his return, MacEwen has been effective at what he is good at; playing north/south, disrupting on the forecheck, and creating chances through effort.

MacEwen is a bottom six forward and that likely will not change, but that doesn't mean he can't produce. With the Utica Comets, MacEwen had a 22 goal and 52 point season in 69 games in the AHL, which are respectable numbers and prove he can finish.

The slight hesitation and poise to allow the D to overcommit and allowing the shooting lane to open up shows great offensive instinct.

4. Carter Hart:

With a more stable defense core and the team playing a more aggressive, puck pressure style in their own zone, Carter Hart has been lights out. Hart is 6 and 0 with a ridiculous .946 save percentage and 2.16 goals against average. Hart is making the first saves and his team is making it difficult for the opposition to pickup easy rebounds, particularly near the paint.

Hart looks calm, poised, and dialled in. Hart made a clutch save on a Shane Pinto breakaway, that came at a pivotal juncture and has to give his team a boost knowing he is making the big saves for his team, at key moments of the game.

Hart made 33 saves on the night and surprisingly, was once again named first star of the game.

The Flyers get a couple of days off before hosting the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.