Canucks Player Grades: Flyers play to pursuit identity, Demko plays valiantly in 5-2 loss

“They eat their own.”

That’s the common refrain when outsiders ask locals to categorize boisterous and belligerent Philadelphia sports fans, whose disdain for sub-par performances often boils over to pure hatred.

And when you’re at command of the Flyers, who aren’t the legendary ‘Broad Street Bullies’, but expected to play with equal parts of talent and testosterone, there’s not much latitude behind the bench or in the stands for laziness. And that’s just fine with Rick Tocchet.

As a rugged Flyers winger, he was cut from a competitive cloth that was pure burlap. Rough and irritating. As the new head coach, he’s trying to elevate the standard to get Philadelphia back to the NHL playoffs for the first time in six seasons.

It’s why Monday wasn’t just another game and why a 5-2 Flyers victory, in which they wore down the opposition, hunted pucks and had a 39-24 shot advantage, would resonate with Tocchet. It’s what he preaches.

When Tocchet stepped away from Vancouver last May, instead of signing a contract extension with the Canucks, it was messy and a mix of angst for a season gone sideways and the tug to return to a place where he built a lasting reputation as a player. He wants to do likewise as bench boss.

The Flyers pushed the pace and it looked like this five-game, nine-day slog caught up to the Canucks after four encouraging road wins. But they didn’t quit. However, If not for Demko, the game could have got away in a hurry. It took a tip to finally beat him in the second period. He was calm, square and sharp. But a coverage breakdown and tip in less than two minutes of the third period put it away.

The forecheck went missing from the get-go and the first power play generated no shots and too much perimeter play, despite owning the eighth-best road effectiveness. Demko made a solid four-save sequence on the first Philadelphia power play as the Canucks were overwhelmed 14-5 on the shot clock through 20 minutes.

And when the Canucks had trouble making clean exit passes out of their own zone in the second period, it just fed into the Flyers’ puck pursuit game, especially in the neutral zone. It translated into ample offensive chances and crazy chemistry between linemates Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras. Owen Tippett scored on a third-period breakaway to make it 4-1 and finished with 10 shots.

Tocchet: First Elias Pettersson, now Matvei Michkov

The Flyers bench boss is a stickler for details and practice habits. They are “non-negotiable” imperatives in his coaching book.

Tocchet’s growing frustration with Pettersson became a talking point in Vancouver and he was constantly peppered and perturbed with questions about where the Swede’s game was at and where it needed to grow.

Mercurial Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, 21, has become the same type of target in Philadelphia. The seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft has just eight goals and leads the Flyers in penalty minutes. Last season, the rookie struck for 26 goals. Michkov is not attacking the middle of the ice and has had testy bench exchanges with Tocchet.

The media curiosity is obvious.

“We’ve got a good record and I’ve answered six Michkov questions,” a ticked-off Tocchet said following the morning skate Monday. “Enough is enough guys. You’re trying to make something. He’s got to learn to play the game and he’s trying. It’s not catering to one person.”

It has got to the point where pundits wondered if Tocchet has a problem with Russian players. That’s a real stretch.

In Vancouver, he coached and coaxed adventurous Andrei Kuzmenko, who had 39 goals in his first year here, just eight through 43 games the next season and couldn’t grasp the details. He was traded. There was also the injury-plagued Ilya Mikheyev, hulking Nikita Zadorov, and making Vasily Podkolzin his pet project.

Tocchet believed in the big winger he labelled a “moose” and a “bear”, and when Podkolzin was demoted to the AHL to grow a complete game, the coach was in his corner. He saw NHL potential.

“He works so hard, but there are just things in his game with time and space and he doesn’t move his feet,” Tocchet said at the time. “He doesn’t see the play. It’s like chess. You have to think two steps before you make the play. Playing him 10 or 12 minutes (in the NHL) is not really beneficial with guys further ahead in the I.Q.”

Podkolzin, 24, is now a lineup staple with the Edmonton Oilers.

OVERTIME — Foote said winger Nils Hoglander “tweaked something” a couple of games ago and sat out again Monday. He has played five games and has no points since suffering an ankle injury in a pre-season game at Abbotsford.

REPORT CARDS

Evander Kane (B-)

Bumped up to first line for size. Good Grade A shot from flank. Four shots, eight attempts.

Marco Rossi (C)

Good defensive awareness in own zone, good slot chance, won 53 per cent of draws.

Brock Boeser (C-)

Grease is the word for frustrated sniper. No goals in 11 games. Needs down-low tally.

Jake DeBrusk (C)

Backhand chance on PP, wraparound PP chance to far side. One goal last 15 games.

David Kampf (C)

Fanned on cross-ice feed in third period. Did his thing in circle and won 53 per cent.

Conor Garland (C+)

Great third-period chance. Set up Sasson goal. Two shots, three turnovers, three blocks.

Drew O’Connor (C)

Scored in final minute on Buium feed. Good shot block under pressure in first period.

Aatu Raty (C)

Didn’t generate any offence but had a net-front presence. Won eight of nine faceoffs.

Kiefer Sherwood (B+)

Motor ran hot. Eleven hits, two blocks, three shots, eight attempts, two Grade A chances.

Liam Ohgren (C)

Quieter night for fourth line. Missing forecheck presence. Scoring chance off flank.

Max Sasson (C+)

Showed his speed when sprung by Garland to go 5-hole, cut deficit to 3-1.

Linus Karlsson (C)

Set up a scoring chance, but lack of pursuit was big factor to keep game close.

Marcus Pettersson (C)

Playing 2:58 more per night after Hughes trade, must be better in Hronek pairing.

Filip Hronek (C)

Steady in the top alignment, took wide-angle shot on pinch to almost even score.

Zeev Buium (C)

Late shoulder hit from Michkov. Quick transitions, good awareness, needs PP1 QB work.

Tyler Myers (C)

Took holding minor, also took one for team with shot block off foot. Played in pain.

Elias Pettersson (C)

Learning experience. Flyers’ puck hounding, quick passing put his head on swivel

Tom Willander (C)

Speed was his weapon to easily escape zone but holding off Flyers learning lesson.

Thatcher Demko (A)

It took the 22nd shot, point slapper tipped at top of crease, to beat starter. Superb.

bkuzma@postmedia.com