After incomes much-needed wins earlier this week, the Detroit Pink Wings and Philadelphia Flyers hope to construct on these performances Thursday after they face off in Pennsylvania.
Detroit snapped a season-high five-game dropping streak Monday with a 6-5 victory in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres. The Pink Wings trailed 5-3 with underneath 10 minutes left in regulation earlier than tying issues up and finally prevailing in a shootout.
“It was an enormous win for us,” stated Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, who had two assists in regulation earlier than netting the decisive aim within the shootout. “… It was good for our hockey group to attain some targets, to be down and are available again and win like that.”
Andrew Copp added two targets for the Pink Wings, whereas Lucas Raymond scored as soon as in regulation and once more within the shootout. The headliner for Detroit, nevertheless, was Sebastian Cossa, who relieved Ville Husso in internet after the primary interval and went on to earn the win in his NHL debut.
It has been a grueling stretch for the Pink Wings, who’ve performed 11 straight video games determined by two targets or fewer. Throughout their five-game dropping streak, every of these defeats got here by a single aim, together with twice in additional time.
“We wanted one to go our manner,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde stated, including that his group was “slightly sloppy tonight, however we produced some offense. Give a number of credit score to the fellows (for hanging) in there.”
The Pink Wings’ story really sounds just like what the Flyers have gone by means of in November. Philadelphia had misplaced three in a row previous to authoring a strong efficiency in Tuesday’s 5-3 street victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Travis Konecny had two targets and Owen Tippett tallied for the fifth time in as many video games for the Flyers, who play eight of their subsequent 10 video games on the street after Thursday’s contest.
“We wanted that win,” Konecny stated. “We have been going within the fallacious route for just a few video games, so it was good to show it round.”
Philadelphia, like Detroit, has had a protracted stretch of video games determined by two targets or fewer — 9 in a row.
“I felt it was an necessary sport for us to get again to taking part in with power,” Flyers coach John Tortorella stated.
The Flyers and Pink Wings have one different commonality in that they haven’t reached the postseason in a number of years. Detroit has missed the playoffs in every of the final eight seasons (and has an uphill battle to succeed in the postseason in 2025). Philadelphia, in the meantime, has an honest shot to finish its four-year playoff drought.
That stated, the Flyers gamers are aiming to take issues one sport at a time.
“I believe it is nonetheless slightly early to have a look at standings and motion and stuff, however, clearly, you understand when the massive video games are, while you play in your convention and division,” Tippett stated. “These are the factors that matter coming right down to the top.”
That is the primary assembly of the season between the groups, who will face off once more subsequent week in Detroit after which as soon as once more in Philadelphia on Jan. 21.
–Area Degree Media