Tocchet looks for Flyers to 'figure it out quickly' entering Game 2 against Hurricanes

TL;DR

The Philadelphia Flyers face a challenging Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes after losing the opener 3-0. Coach Rick Tocchet emphasizes the need for quick adjustments and a more aggressive mindset from his players.

Key points

Flyers lost Game 1 of the NHL playoffs 3-0 to the Hurricanes
Coach Tocchet stresses the need for quick adjustments
Owen Tippett missed the game due to injury
Tocchet emphasizes a more aggressive mindset for Game 2
Flyers struggled with offensive pressure in Game 1

Mentioned in this story

Rick TocchetOwen TippettFrederik AndersenCam YorkAleksei Kolosov

Philadelphia FlyersCarolina Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N,C. (AP) — It was a rough start for the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the NHL playoffs. Coach Rick Tocchet knows his team has to adjust quickly against the Carolina Hurricanes as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes won 3-0 in Saturday night's best-of-seven opener, with Tocchet saying his team didn't react quickly enough to the Hurricanes' aggressive skating that ultimately smothered the Flyers' attack. Game 2 is Monday night. “You can't have three or four games like that,” Tocchet said before the team's practice. “You've got to figure it out quickly. Tomorrow night we want 21 guys wanting the puck. That's the mindset.” The Hurricanes pounced on the Flyers with a dominating first period, with Philadelphia struggling to apply any kind of pressure on Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen. The Flyers managed nine shots through two periods and managed just two through four power plays on the night. Ultimately, Carolina had a 17-7 edge in scoring chances at 5-on-5 play and a 5-2 edge in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. It didn't help that regular-season goals leader Owen Tippett didn't play due to an unspecified injury. He is considered day to day. Tippett, who scored 28 regular-season goals and brings needed speed to the lineup, skated Sunday. But he spent part of that session working with goalie Aleksei Kolosov at one end of the ice while the rest of the team worked at the other end. Still, Tocchet said, Saturday's issues went beyond Tippett's absence in the Flyers' first postseason run since 2020. Things improved as the game wore on with Tocchet changing his lines hunting for a spark. Yet that came after Carolina had jumped to the 2-0 lead by midway through the second period, pressing the attack while backed by that lead on the way to winning a fifth straight playoff game without trailing. “To me it was the first 15 minutes where we — just watching the video — it didn't look like a whole lot of guys wanted the puck,” Tocchet said. "And against Carolina, you want to want the puck. You're going to want confrontation. You're going to want to make that play. “I just said, ‘We’ve got to hit singles every shift, can't try to hit home runs,'” Tocchet added later. “And I just felt a lot of guys are either all-in on a home run or not skating. So we learned from it and and we're moving on from it.” The baseball analogy clearly was a key emphasis, with defenseman — who had — referencing it without being asked in the locker room after practice. “They're on top of you and super aggressive,” York said. “But if you can use the middle of the ice, you can use that against them pretty well and get a bunch of odd-man looks. We've just got to reset, refocus and get ready for the next one.” \\_ AP NHL playoffs: and

Q&A

What did Coach Rick Tocchet say about the Flyers' performance in Game 1 against the Hurricanes?

Coach Rick Tocchet noted that the Flyers didn't react quickly enough to the Hurricanes' aggressive play and emphasized the need for the team to figure it out quickly.

How did the absence of Owen Tippett affect the Flyers in Game 1?

Owen Tippett's absence due to injury limited the Flyers' offensive pressure, as he is their regular-season goals leader and brings essential speed to the lineup.

What adjustments are the Flyers expected to make for Game 2 against the Hurricanes?

The Flyers are expected to adopt a more aggressive mindset and focus on making simpler plays rather than attempting risky moves, as emphasized by Tocchet's baseball analogy.