Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) reaches for the puck against Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds (17) during the third period of their game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The Vancouver Canucks won 4-1. Picture: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
By Sam Carchici/The Philadelphia Inquirer
Call out a search party. The Philadelphia Flyers’ offense is missing.
Despite outhitting the Canucks, getting lots of quality scoring chances, and showing much more energy than in recent games, the Flyers fell to Vancouver, 4-1, on Monday night at the Rogers Center.
It was the fourth straight loss for the Flyers, who have scored just six goals in those defeats.
They are averaging less than two goals a game; only Anaheim is averaging fewer goals in the 30-team NHL.
Goalie Ryan Miller was outstanding for Vancouver, which took a 3-1 lead when rookie Jake Virtanen got past Brandon Manning in the neutral zone en route to scoring from the slot on a two-on-one with 11 minutes, 32 seconds left. It was the first career goal for the 19-year-old Virtanen, and Vancouver later added an empty-net score.
Jake Voracek, the NHL’s all-star right winger last season, had a strong performance but went goal-less for the 11th straight game, equaling his longest streak to start a season in his career.
With the teams playing four-on-four and the score knotted at 1-1, Vancouver center Bo Horvat had defenseman Mark Streit in pursuit as he skated behind the Flyers net, and circled out front. Horvat moved through the left circle before beating Steve Mason to the far side with a well-placed shot from the slot with 9:50 left in the second period. Defenseman Nick Schultz appeared to screen the goalie.
With 2:25 to go in the second, a Brandon Sutter shot deflected off Mason and trickled toward the net, but hustling Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde got his stick on the puck and cleared it just before it reached the goal line, keeping the Flyers down by just 2-1.
Earlier in the period, Claude Giroux had tied the score with a spectacular goal.
Taking an outlet pass from Jake Voracek, Giroux had defenseman Matt Bartkowski draped on him from behind and still made a series of eye-opening moves before putting a backhander past Ryan Miller, tying the game at 1-1 with 17:06 left in the period.
Giroux’s linemate, Michael Raffl was robbed several times in the game by Miller, including two stops from the doorstep.
After being outshot by an 8-1 margin early in the game, the Flyers took play away from the Canucks, outhitting and outshooting them in the last half of the first period and the first half of the second period. They were dominating play before Horvat’s goal.
It was the second of a five-game road trip that continues today, where the Flyers get their first look at 18-year-old Oilers sensation Connor McDavid in Edmonton.
McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, was named the league’s rookie of the month after collecting five goals and seven assists in 12 October games.
It took the Canucks all of 1:08 to strike, taking a 1-0 lead when Jannik Hansen got behind Schultz and finished off a two on one. The Canucks seemed to have an odd-man rush and a point-blank shot almost every time down the ice in the game’s first 6:22, outshooting the Flyers, 8-1, in that span.
The Flyers regrouped, dominated in the faceoff circle, and started to get scoring opportunities, especially in the last 10 minutes of the period. But Miller, who had shutouts in his two previous starts against the Flyers, denied Brayden Schenn and Vinny Lecavalier on golden chances with about five minutes left in the first. Lecavalier slammed his arm against the glass in disgust after his slot shot was turned aside.
Miller was only forced to make one save during an unproductive Flyers power play that briefly extended into the second period. That made the Flyers 0 for their last 11 on the power play, a funk that started five games ago.
Vancouver was without injured defenseman Luca Sbisa, a former Flyer, who was in a walking boot. But the Canucks got a boost when defenseman Dan Hamhuis returned to the lineup after missing three games with an unspecified injury.
Now the Flyers head to McDavid Country and face a player who tore up the Ontario League during the previous three seasons, collecting a ridiculous 97 goals and 285 points in 166 games for the Erie Otters.
