Article content

We dedicate this edition of the Hidden Game to beleaguered Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella.

Torts, as he’s affectionately referred to, has had a love/hate — mostly the latter — relationship with the media over the years, but few bench bosses have been more colourful, opinionated and controversial.

Article content

The Boston native, 65, is now with his fifth organization following stops in New York, Tampa Bay, Vancouver and Columbus. His teams have made 12 playoff appearances and he has one Stanley Cup victory, with the Lightning in 2004. Tortorella has 740 career victories and it appears he won’t get another win this season following Tuesday night’s embarrassing 9-3 loss to the Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Article content

The Flyers are now on a season-high eight-game losing streak and appear destined to miss the playoffs again. We’re not sure whether his players have stopped listening or whether Tortorella simply has had enough of this racket and might contemplate retirement?

“I don’t think a lot of people are playing their best hockey,” he said earlier this week — relatively calmly, we might add.

Philadelphia’s last victory came on March 23. Tortorella’s kiss of death might have occurred last month, when he made captain Sean Couturier a healthy scratch for two games.

Toggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

Next Gallery ImageToggle gallery captions

All 13 Photos for Gallery

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

OK

Article content

Article content

Who says the Canadiens can’t score: The nine goals for this apparently offensively-challenged team represented a season high. On eight other occasions, Montreal has scored five in a game. The Canadiens, playing their third game in four nights, displayed no sluggishness. They also ended a three-game losing streak.

News you need (Part I): In their last 11 games, the Flyers have allowed 50 goals while scoring 27.

This is how you start a game: One shot, one goal. Only 65 seconds had elapsed before Juraj Slafkovsky deflected Mike Matheson’s shot off his skate. The former first overall draft choice last season would add two more, producing his first NHL hat trick. He now has 19 goals and 48 points in 78 games. Matheson retrieved the puck for him after his third goal.

Most blocks on one shift: Over a 38-second span in the first period, Nick Seeler blocked a Slafkovsky shot; Jamie Drysdale got in front of one from Cole Caufield; Ryan Poehling blocked Slafkovsky and Seeler denied Caufield. It might have been the highlight of the night for the visitors.

Close, but no cigar: In the fifth minute of the second period, Alex Newhook set up Joel Armia, who was in alone. But his shot went wide to the stick side. It would have been Armia’s 17th goal this season, a career high.

Article content

Don’t feel sorry for him: Armia scored the Canadiens’ final goal, late in the third period.

News you need (Part II): With a first-period assist, Cole Caufield now has 60 points, joining captain and team leader Nick Suzuki, who has 75 points. The last time Montreal had multiple players reach the 60-point plateau was during the 2014-15 season, achieved by Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban and Tomas Plekanec.

Pass of the night: Suzuki, cross-ice to Slafkovsky — past two defenders — giving the Canadiens a 2-0 lead at 8:43 of the second period.

Great moments in time-out history: After Brendan Gallagher scored the first of his two goals, at 10:46 of the second period making it 3-0, Tortorella called a time out. We’re not sure what he said at the Flyers’ bench, but 36 seconds later Slafkovsky made it 4-0.

The drought is over: Josh Anderson scored his first goal since March 2, and only his ninth this season in 74 games, increasing the lead to 5-0 at 12:42 of the second period.

Take a seat: The Anderson goal signified the end for Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who made only 12 stops for a save percentage of .706.

Article content

Where’s Bernie Parent when you need him: Ersson’s replacement, rookie Ivan Fedotov, playing only his third NHL game, wasn’t any better. He allowed four goals on 13 shots for a save percentage of .692. Shouldn’t a guy 6-foot-7 be able to block more of the net?

News you need (Part III): Slafkovsky, at 20 years and 10 days, became the second-youngest player in franchise history with a three-goal game, passing Guy Lafleur, who was 20 years and 82 days. The youngest? Stéphane Richer (19 years, 283 days).

Strange, but true: While he recorded an assist, giving him one goal and nine points in 41 games, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard went a 10th consecutive game without registering a shot.

Clubhouse leaders: Philadelphia defenceman Drysdale was a minus-6, slightly ahead of his blueline partner Seeler, at minus-5.

Misleading stat of the night: Shots: 36-30 Flyers. Final score: 9-3 Canadiens.

It has come to this: A disgruntled fan threw a Flyers sweater on the ice following the Canadiens’ eighth goal.

They said it: “It’s a good feeling,” Slafkovsky said. “I don’t remember scoring a hat trick. We won. Finally we scored a lot of goals. I’m happy for that even more. Too bad we’re out of the (playoffs) this year, but it’s good that we’re building our game. It’s just a good day. Bad sleep (Monday night) but a good day. I just couldn’t fall asleep.”

Article content

“It’s a good feeling with our group right now,” Gallagher said. “We really feel like we’re playing good hockey. As a group we feel like we’re building. It always helps when you score in the first minute … minute-and-a-half.”

“It was a fun game to be a part of,” said Christian Dvorak, who returned for the first time since Dec. 30 following surgery for a torn pectoral muscle — and scored twice. “You’re not thinking about scoring. You just want to play a good, sound game.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

twitter.com/HerbZurkowsky1

Article content

Article content