Following the Philadelphia Flyers' 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, head coach John Tortorella kept comments in the post-game press conference unusually quick, at just eight words. Normally one for the fiery and often voluminous responses, Tortorella went the minimalist route in this interview. Asked to break down the defeat, he replied simply, "No," then "Yep," refusing to elaborate further. His responses were short, with the frustration of it all, especially a late-game collapse that saw the Flyers concede two goals in the final minute, quite palpable.
It marked the second consecutive loss for the Flyers and Tortorella, who remain in the cellar of the Metropolitan Division with just nine points. Goaltender struggles have contributed to some of the most recent setbacks suffered by the Flyers, who have not won any of their last eight games started by anyone other than Samuel Ersson. Ersson, who has been out with a lower-body injury, is close to a return and may solidify the defensive end once he returns to the lineup.
The real game was fairly dramatic. Travis Konecny opened the scoring for the Flyers on the powerplay in the first period before the Hurricanes scored three in a row to take a 3-1 lead. The Flyers fought back, with Owen Tippett closing the gap and Morgan Frost tying things up early in the third, but Carolina retook momentum shortly thereafter. Konecny buried his second of the night, tying the game once more at 4-4, but two quick Hurricane goals in the final minute sealed Philadelphia's fate.
It wasn't until two late goals, one by Martin Necas and the other by Seth Jarvis, that finally turned the tide for Carolina. Hurricanes' Brent Burns and Necas each had two points, while goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 12 through the game. Flyers' Konecny was a high scorer with four points, while teammates Sean Couturier and Tippett played great games. Despite these performances, the Flyers were unable to hold off the late surge by the Hurricanes.
As the Flyers head into Thursday's action against their rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, they will look to reverse their fortunes of late. With Ersson back between the pipes and an obviously frustrated Tortorella, this team will more than likely enter their next contest with some renewed vigor and determination.