Elliott back in form as defense comes together
PHILADELPHIA >> He wasn’t going to throw anybody under a proverbial bus, but it’s likely no one was happier about the Flyers’ recent defensive cluelessness going on hiatus Saturday than goalie Brian Elliott.
Apparently healthy after coming off offseason surgery, Elliott’s numbers on the short season were telling a different story. He came into this game against the Devils at just 1-3 with a 4.04 goals-against average and brutal .874 saves percentage through five games for the goals-bleeding Flyers.
But the defensive zone turnovers that riddled Philly’s first two weeks were at a minimum on this day, and Elliott would allow only two Devils power play goals amid a 5-2 Flyers win.
“When the opportunities were there, we blocked some shots and those are sometimes harder when you’re not getting a lot of work,” Elliott said. “But the quality was down and our guys kept it that way, kept a lot of stuff to the outside. It was a good game for us defensively.”
It had been a week since Elliott had the chance to say that, a 1-0 loss to Vegas the previous Saturday serving as the Flyers’ best defensive game previously.
While they were much more responsible in this one, Elliott did point out a period of time in which both teams seemed to feed off each other’s defensive zone chaos, calling that “a turnover fest.”
He soon amended it, saying, “it was probably a minute or so back and forth, but it seems like a lot when both teams are doing it.
“You know, that’s what you want to stay away from,” Elliott said. “It’s a cliche in our game, but you have to get pucks in deep and you have to work it, because that’s where you draw penalties and that’s when you (give up) chances, when you’re not doing much (and) when it’s just chipping in and out of the neutral zone.”
*** Elliott had one moment where he was arguably interfered with by New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri, and the Devils scored a goal to make it 2-2. Flyers coach Dave Hakstol issued a coaches challenge, but to no avail. Not a high percentage challenge there when dealing with a rule that even the NHL rulesmakers aren’t quite sure what to make of it.
“It’s a tough read when you’re just trying to see the puck and he’s backing up into your crease,” Elliott said. “That’s why we don’t know what’s going to get called or what’s not going to get called, and he kind of brushed my stick away and it makes me kind of react instead of reacting to the puck. So it’s tough out there, because you don’t really know what’s going to get called and what isn’t.”
*** NOTES >> The Devils’ 21 shots was a season-low allowed by the Flyers . ... Ivan Provorov and fellow defender Travis Sanheim each had twoassist games . ... The Flyers next host the Colorado Avalanche at home Monday night before traveling to Boston Thursday.