Elliott makes his 500th career game a family affair
Like age, games played is more than just a number to 36-year-old Flyers goalie Brian Elliott.
Elliott played in his 500th NHL game Tuesday night, the result of which he could have done without. The Pittsburgh Penguins pelted him with 24 mostly accurate shots in a 7-3 victory over the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center, including a pair of goals from Flyers nemesis Sidney Crosby.
Elliott allowed himself to feel the accomplishments of a stellar 14-year career that began as a ninth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2003. Deep down inside, he knew he was ready for this moment. In his third NHL season with the Senators, Elliott watched venerable right winger Daniel Alfredsson play in his 1,000th game. The Swede was special. He also went over 1,000 career points.
“When you’re young, you just want to make it in the NHL, fulfill your dream,” Elliott said. “Then you go after the Cup. It just kind of creeps along. One of my first years in Ottawa, Daniel Alfredsson hit 1,000 and it was a pretty cool moment to see all of the fanfare and just the accomplishment that it is. It’s definitely something special. I really wanted to reach it for sure and I’m thankful for the guys that got me there, our team.”
Just as in his first NHL game in 2007, Elliott was standing on his head in the first period. He stopped former Flyer Jeff Carter on a breakaway. But the Penguins wore Elliott and his teammates down.
The Pens broke the game open in the third period, Crosby making it 5-3 from an angle that only an alien could appreciate. Much later there was an empty net goal.
Nicknamed “Moose” after painting a moose on the back of his helmet as a tribute to Owen Scott, who taught him a moose call, Elliott prevented the Flyers from losing by double-digits.
“Moose is an ultimate teammate,” forward Kevin Hayes said. “He’s a guy that speaks up when he has to. He’s also a guy that goes about his business without saying anything. He’s been around this league for a long time and there’s a reason for it. Goalie is a tough position to make a long career out of it. In order for him to accomplish 500 games is incredible for him. But he’s a great leader for our team, he’s a great leader for Carter (Hart).”
Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, speaking on the pregame show, also tried to put Elliott’s achievement in perspective.
“For us skaters,” Gostisbere said, “that’s equivalent to 1,000 games.”
Elliott was given an ovation by players and fans during a first-period intermission. After the game, he was grateful his wife and young sons were there for old Pop.
“I tried to soak it in and just enjoy the moment,” Elliott said. “It’s not ideal the way it turned out. But it’s kind of how the season is going a little bit. But I’m really proud of being able to reach that milestone as a goalie and really happy that my wife and kids were there watching. It was just really joyful for me.”
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It’s a little late for a Wells Fargo Center full of Flyers fans to be that “piece we’ve been missing,” as coach Alain Vigneault says in the rah-rah commercial.
But Gov. Wolf’s order lifting COVID-related restrictions on outdoor events effective Memorial Day could help the Phillies across Pattison Ave., the Sixers in the playoffs and it allows both the Flyers and Sixers to start selling all their tickets for the following season.
Those two winter-sports teams put out a joint statement, in part reading:
“We’re planning to have a full arena later this year for Flyers and 76ers games, concerts and events, and we’re extremely confident in the health and safety measures we’ve put in place.”
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NOTES » Flyers goal leader Joel Farabee dropped Mark Friedman with a huge right hand to the head in the second period. Friedman played for the Flyers earlier this season. They both went off for fighting. After Friedman got the empty net goal, he was pushed into the boards by Gostisbehere on what appeared to be a somewhat dangerous play. … Elliott is the 77th goaltender to play in 500 or more NHL games.