PHILADELPHIA — There have been flashes the past two weeks of what the Philadelphia Flyers can do when they play to their identity. Take the second and third periods of their meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Flyers were all over their opponents, outshooting them a whopping 28-6 while scoring three times and allowing none.
But the first period was all too familiar when it comes to this year’s squad. The team that went winless in its first nine games of the season suddenly reappeared, playing sluggish and uninspired hockey against a middling opponent. Columbus scored three times in that opening frame, and again in overtime to beat the Flyers 4-3.
Naturally, the players in the home dressing room bemoaned their first 20 minutes moments after falling to 3-7-4 on the season. The Flyers had just two shots in the first period, and none over the final 13:57, while Columbus had seven.
“Just not the start we were looking for,” Travis Sanheim said. “Didn’t have the energy. Credit to the guys after the first, regroup and find our legs and make it a game. We’ll take the point but obviously the start has got to be better. Just wasn’t good enough.”
“I think it took a kick in the butt to get us going,” agreed Cam York, returning from an eight-game absence with an upper-body injury. “Second and third, pretty much dominated the game. Felt like we were on our toes and dictating the pace of play. Just can’t come out like that.”
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