PHILADELPHIA — Captain Sean Couturier, a 13-veteran of the Philadelphia Flyers, was a wholesome scratch for the primary time in his profession on Tuesday evening, lacking out on a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Flyers coach John Tortorella — who has by no means been afraid to sit down star gamers in any of his profession stops, together with Philadelphia final season with former ahead Kevin Hayes — scratched Couturier, 31, who was named staff captain in mid-February.
After the staff’s morning skate Tuesday, Couturier expressed his displeasure with what he known as restricted communication from his coach, who’s in his second season with the Flyers.
“I have been placing the work in for some time,” mentioned Couturier, who has 11 targets and 36 factors this season. “I have been struggling, however I have been engaged on my recreation and it is irritating the way in which I have been handled round right here recently, however it’s what it’s.
“I management what I can management. … I’ll transfer on. It does not matter what I feel. I’ve bought to depart my ego apart. Hopefully I can get again into (the lineup) quickly.”
Tortorella spoke swiftly and succinctly throughout his postgame press conferences when the lineup selections got here up.
“As I advised you, I am placing the gamers out on the ice to win a specific recreation,” he mentioned. “These have been the 20 that we determined to go together with.”
When pressed additional, he handed on Couturier questions.
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“I am not speaking on Sean. I am not debating with you,” the coach mentioned. “I am not conversing with it. It is between Sean and I. So, simply discuss to me in regards to the recreation, guys.”
With out the captain, Owen Tippett scored 19 seconds into the sport and added an help, and Morgan Frost had a objective and an help because the Flyers held on at residence.
Travis Sanheim and Scott Laughton additionally scored for the Flyers, and Samuel Ersson, who was pulled in two of his earlier three begins, made 27 saves, together with a cease of Bobby McCann on a short-handed breakaway within the second interval.
“Our staff performed good tonight,” Tortorella added, when lastly requested about different gamers.
The Flyers had misplaced three of 4 coming into the sport and allowed 19 targets of their three losses. The win pushed them three factors forward of the Washington Capitals for the third playoff spot within the Metropolitan Division.
“Nobody gave us an opportunity in any respect to start out the yr. … I feel we have exceeded everybody’s expectations to this point,” Frost mentioned on NBC Sports activities Phildelphia’s postgame present, when assessing the Flyers’ playoff possibilities. “It is about pleasure and making an attempt to show folks incorrect and get within the playoffs.”
Going through a three-goal deficit initially of the third interval, Toronto tried to mount a comeback. William Nylander scored on an influence play and Tyler Bertuzzi and John Tavares added targets.
However Ersson made a number of huge saves within the ultimate 10 minutes and Laughton’s objective with seven minutes left restored a two-goal benefit and helped ice the win.
Ilya Samsonov had 24 saves for Toronto, which had its three-game level streak halted.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
