Youngster scores again, prospect makes season debut, but Flyers drop 4th straight originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers dug themselves a hole Tuesday night and couldn’t climb out of it as they lost to the Blues, 4-2, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
With the Flyers trailing by three goals early in the third period, James van Riemsdyk got them on the board by redirecting Nick Seeler’s shot.
A little under two minutes before van Riemsdyk’s marker, Noah Cates thought he had one of his own. However, the initial ruling was no goal and it was then confirmed by video review. The review was lengthy because it was a play with plenty of gray areas. Per the NHL, it was deemed that Cates batted the puck into the net.
The close call turned out to be a big one given the Flyers eventually came within one goal of tying the score.
The Flyers (29-35-13) are on a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) and have five games left in the season.
They’re 0-2-0 on their four-game road trip and have been outscored 8-4. They haven’t won away from home since Feb. 20.
For the third time in the last four games, John Tortorella was not behind his team’s bench. Instead, the head coach evaluated from another vantage point. Assistant coach Rocky Thompson led the Flyers and won a second-period coach’s challenge to erase what would have been the Blues’ fourth goal.
St. Louis ended up getting his fourth and final tally on an empty-netter with 32 seconds remaining.
The Flyers split the two-game regular-season series with the Blues (36-35-7).
• The Flyers fell behind 2-0 for the 23rd time this season. They had little offensive life through two periods as they went into the second intermission with a 3-0 deficit.
They turned it up in the third period, but they needed to be much better during the first 40 minutes if they wanted to win. They were not sharp and had to play a ton of defense before making a desperate push in the final frame.
• Morgan Frost extended his point streak to five games (five goals, two assists) when he trimmed St. Louis’ lead to 3-2 with 8:17 minutes to go in the game.
Frost fought for a rebound that was created by Cam York.
Since the calendar turned to 2023, Frost has led the Flyers in points with 29 (12 goals, 17 assists) over 40 games. He now has 19 goals and 43 points on the season.
This has been Frost’s first full crack at the NHL grind. And he has gotten better as the season has gotten deeper. That’s a real promising sign for the Flyers, who have challenged their younger players to prove they belong in the team’s future.
Frost, who turns 24 years old next month, is answering the bell down the stretch.
• Samuel Ersson made his second straight start and stopped 28 of 31 shots.
He was not a problem whatsoever. The Flyers did not help his cause on the Blues’ three goals.
Without Carter Hart (lower body) the last five games, the Flyers are 1-3-1 and have yielded 4.20 goals per game.
St. Louis netminder Jordan Binnington had a huge third period, denying 16 of the Flyers’ 18 shots.
In a ridiculous sequence, he made two saves while sprawled out on his side as the Flyers threatened to tie the game shorthanded.
He finished the night with 32 saves.
• Prospect Ronnie Attard made his season debut after being called up Monday from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
This season, the 24-year-old has led all Phantoms defensemen in goals (11) and points (30). He signed his entry-level deal last season in late March and had a 15-game audition with the big club.
On Tuesday night, Attard had a team-high four shots and played with some physicality in 14:30 minutes.
• With Rasmus Ristolainen back in the lineup after missing the Flyers’ 4-2 loss Sunday night due to an upper-body injury, the Flyers played 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
• The road trip continues Thursday when the Flyers visit the playoff-ready Stars (8:30 pm ET/NBCSP).
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