The Philadelphia Flyers faced a disappointing defeat on March 15, 2024, after leading 4-2 against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The Flyers allowed two late goals in regulation, including a crucial equalizer from Clayton Keller with just 35 seconds remaining, ultimately succumbing to a 5-4 overtime loss.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet expressed his frustration during the postgame media session, stating, “That’s unacceptable what happened tonight.” He emphasized the need for the team to perform better under pressure. “We stunk in pressure situations,” he added, highlighting a critical need for improvement as the Flyers prepare for their next game.
The Flyers surged ahead early, establishing a 3-0 lead by the second period. Christian Dvorak played a pivotal role, scoring two goals, while Barrett Hayton added another power-play goal to take the Flyers to a 4-2 advantage. Despite this promising start, the team faltered in the final moments of the game.
The turning point came when Hayton scored with 7:13 left in the third period, narrowing the Flyers’ lead to one goal. As the Mammoth pulled their goalie in a desperate bid for an equalizer, Keller managed to slip past Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim to score the tying goal, forcing overtime.
In the extra period, Keller sealed the victory for Utah with a goal just 2:01 in, leaving the Flyers reeling. Tocchet noted the importance of seizing opportunities, referencing a missed chance by Garnet Hathaway to secure an empty-net goal just before the Mammoth’s late push. “He knows it,” Tocchet said when asked if he had spoken to Hathaway about the missed opportunity.
Throughout the game, Flyers goalie Sam Ersson initially kept his team in contention, but acknowledged the late-game pressure. “Most parts of the game we did a good job,” Ersson stated. “It’s tough giving up a late one.”
The Flyers’ first period was notably strong, with a two-goal lead thanks to early strikes from Cam York and Bobby Brink. York scored just 30 seconds into the game, capitalizing on a rebound, while Brink’s goal came shortly after the beginning of the second period. However, the momentum shifted when the Mammoth scored two goals within 26 seconds, prompting Tocchet to call a timeout to regroup his players.
While the Flyers have shown flashes of brilliance, they will need to address their late-game execution as they prepare for their next matchup in Colorado. The team is currently on a three-game road trip and will aim to bounce back from this tough loss, which left many players reflecting on the lessons learned.
In other notes, Owen Tippett returned to the game after a brief exit due to a head collision, and Nick Seeler continues to impress with his defensive performance, ranking among the top shot-blockers in the NHL since the 2022-23 season.
As the Flyers look to recover, Tocchet’s call for resilience and improvement will be critical for building momentum in the upcoming games.
