Morin’s long-awaited moment in spotlight a winner
He’s a defenseman anyway.
He’s also more shover than shooter, and despite being a first-round pick it doesn’t surprise that Sam Morin strikes you as more minor league blue line enforcer than lengthy NHL talent.
Morin, 25, was playing in just his 11th NHL game Saturday. Yet the reaction along the Flyers bench was one of collective joy when Morin scored his first career big-league goal, and not only because it would stand up as a surprising game-winner in a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center.
“It was absolutely crazy,” Morin recounted later. “I’m really happy. It’s the best moment in my life. I don’t score a
... usually, lot of goals. It was a big one. A big W for us. It was a big moment for me.”
The Flyers, still painfully cognizant that they were playing the same team that rolled up 15 straight goals against them over the course of two blowout victories the past couple of weeks, were simply enjoying the moment because they were still in the game late in the third period.
True to seasonal form, the scoring had started with Mika Zibanejad scoring a power play goal 10:54 into the first. He’d scored a natural hat trick in each of those two recent Ranger blowout wins. What was different this time is it wouldn’t lead to a complete loss of composure by the Flyers.
They fought back, playing dominating hockey at times. Then finally got the game tied when Nolan Patrick tipped home a Shayne Gostisbehere power play serve at 12:52 of the second. Back and forth it went, with Morin biding his time between third-pair defensive turns. Then came the magical moment, one-timing a pass from Nic Aube-Kubel far out on the left point.
It ricocheted off the far post and in with 4:37 left in regulation for a lead he would help his team protect.
Morin had waited so long for this, through so much pain, so much work...
A No. 11 overall pick in 2013, he had a long way to go, but was on a proper development track after recovering from a core muscle injury during the 2017-18 season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Morin was back for the postseason that season but was injured during a playoff game in May, and would soon undergo his first ACL surgery.
Just 18 months later, he tore the same ACL a second time.
Morin remembers being on crutches at a Flyers game shortly after his second surgery and realizing he still wanted to be a part of it all, believing he could indeed make another comeback.
“I remember (Patrick) talked to me and all the guys had great words for me,” Morin said. “I was really not depressed, but I was really down. It was probably a couple of hours after that, I was like ‘I’ve got to get back to this.’”
Patrick, a No. 2 overall firstround pick in 2017, has been through his share of layoff woes, too. He missed all of 2019-20 with migraine issues, but has been healthy this season while trying to free his rusty game.
“Sam’s been through more than anyone the last couple of years,” Patrick said. “He came out on the other side of it. To see him score was pretty cool in that fashion. Everyone was extremely happy for him. It was great moment for him.”
Added coach Alain Vigneault: “Anyone that’s gotten to know Sam over the years, he’s a good, big, young Frenchman. He’s from the farm. Just a wholesome young man that everybody that’s gotten to know him, really likes. There’s no doubt there was a lot of joy for him and the team tonight. And we needed this win.”
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Goalie Brian Elliott, more or less a de facto No. 1 goalie with the club, buckled down and kept the Flyers afloat. Other than Zibanejad’s power play goal, Elliott stopped the other 24 Rangers shots on goal. It had been a while that a Flyers goalie had turned in an effort like this.
“We obviously have talked about that and getting some saves,” Vigneault said. “Moose (Elliott) had to make a couple real big saves and enabled us to tie it on the power play in the second, then able to win it.”
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NOTES » Goalie Felix Sandstrom was shifted to the taxi squad, which puts him in a possible position to play should Vigneault believe Carter Hart needs more time to straighten out his game. ... The Flyers, offensively impotent of late, had 17 shots on goal in the first period, their most since a game against Montreal on Nov. 17, 2019 . ... Elliott on Morin scoring the big goal: “It’s pretty special. This guy’s been through a lot in the organization. A lot of injuries and surgeries and he’s always come back with a smile on his face.”