Charlie O'Connor
@charlieoconn.bsky.social
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Philadelphia Flyers beat writer/podcaster for PHLY Sports.
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A lot happened in tonight's 4-3 Flyers loss to the Hurricanes, and I broke it all down for you here in my 10 Observations piece:

- The overturned goal
- Brink and Cates thriving
- Michkov benched in OT
- Grebenkin a low-key standout
allphly.com/flyers-goal-...
10 observations: Overturned goal torpedoes Flyers' chance of upset in Raleigh as Canes win 4-3 in OT - PHLY Sports
For a few brief moments, the Flyers thought they had their first win of the season. Then, the league's situation room weighed in.
allphly.com
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Asked Tocchet after the game about Michkov not getting a shift in OT, and whether it had to do with his turnover late in regulation:

"I just wanted the guys who I thought were skating."
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Tocchet: "Yeah, it's a tough call. Been on the right side of those, on the wrong side of them. So I don't really have a comment on that."

He said when it's a call from the Situation Room, you really don't get an explanation.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Bobby Brink on the overturned GWG call from the situation room in Toronto: "I mean, I'm guessing it's because Sanheim ran into the goalie. But in my humble opinion, it's the wrong call, but they made the rules. So what do I know?"
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Philly sports just cannot catch a break this week.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Carolina scores with 16.7 seconds left, and pull off the win. That one stings for the Flyers, as they reasonably thought that they had the game one. Instead, a 4-3 defeat.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
In other news, Matvei Michkov hasn't gotten a shift in OT. He had a bad turnover late in regulation that led to a transition rush for Carolina.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Sanheim did skate through the crease (barely), but my thought was that Andersen initiated the contact and that would supersede it. I guess they ruled going through the crease matters more.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Folks, it's the Bobby Brink game. Two goals, including the GWG.

4-3 and the Flyers win their first game of the season, and the first of the Rick Tocchet era.

(Though the officials are reviewing it...)
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Flyers and Canes going to overtime. To come into a tough environment with an undermanned blueline corps against a really good team and nab at least a point? Solid result already for the Flyers.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Brink with a perfect pass to Sanheim in the slot, and we've got a tie game. Yet another fantastic, hard-working shift by the Cates line sets it up, but Sanheim showed great instincts to settle into that spot and make himself an option for a one-timer. 3-3.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Flyers getting a PP opportunity here with 8:18 left in regulation down 3-2. They've been unable to get much going offensively in the third period -- this might be their best chance to tie this thing. Carolina isn't giving them much at 5v5.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
That Michkov penalty is one where the guys just have to kill it for him, since it's hard to blame him for defending a teammate. You know they were extra fired up to do so -- and they pulled it off.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Konecny gets blown up along the boards, is a little slow getting to his feet. Michkov and Ginning immediately come to his defense. Michkov gets the only penalty, but it's one I'm sure TK appreciates. A "stick up for your boys" penalty.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
3-2 Hurricanes after 40 minutes. That second period was entertaining, mistake-filled early season hockey. And the Canes took advantage of it more than the Flyers did, winning the goals battle three to one.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
3-2 Canes. Jordan Staal puts one past Ersson after the Ginning-Juulsen pair gets worked down low.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
It's early and may just be a hot start, but Noah Cates so far looks like a guy who could be in the midst of a level-up. He's been an absolute handful in the offensive zone tonight, especially around the net. Just constantly making things happen.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Great shift by the Luchanko/Grebenkin/Hathaway line. They're everywhere in the o-zone.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Canes tie it up on another transition rush. Bad pass from Luchanko deep in the offensive zone went right to a Cane and sent them back up ice with speed, Taylor Hall finished it off. 2-2 now.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Looking back on that CAR goal, I kinda think that's on Drysdale more than anyone . He's puck watching in the offensive zone and vacates his point without really helping in the play, and then crosses over to Zamula's side in the transition chaos, leaving no one to cover Stankoven.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
And Bobby Brink quickly responds with a snipe of a shot to give the Flyers the lead back. Great work along the boards by Grebenkin (at the end of a shift) and Cates to set up Brink in space, and then he absolutely ripped one. 2-1 PHI.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Canes tie it up. Cates line/Drysdale got trapped behind the play, and in the ensuing chaos of a transition rush and then a rebound, Stankoven buries it. 1-1 now.
charlieoconn.bsky.social
Big reason why the Canes had so much puck possession in that period? Unsurprisingly, it was their always-strong forecheck. I tracked them with 6 dump-ins at 5-on-5, and they recovered 5 of them.