Highlights Beyond Highlights- Dec. 10 vs. Blue Jackets

Jamie Drysdale’s first period included three mentions for this column and that didn’t even include his assist. First up in this clip is a good defensive play that fits in with Philadelphia’s approach in their own zone, which is to prevent passes coming from behind the net into the high-danger areas in front of it. The methodology is not to chase opponents into that behind-the-net spot, but rather hold the posts and block anything coming in that direction, forcing any passes out wide. Drysdale accomplishes that here, blocking an attempted feed out front that would have created a high-danger chance.

Later in the frame, he singlehandedly snuffs out a Columbus rush along the far boards. Then on another Columbus outlet, he gets a stick out and makes a one-touch pass that both stops the breakout and sends the Flyers going the other way.

Owen Tippett’s goal starts with a great zone entry that was engineered by Drysdale and Morgan Frost. The duo was able to move up the ice with speed and elude several Blue Jackets before the feed to Tippett. After that feed, Drysdale kept going to the net and created a screen coming across, which led Elvis Merzlikins to lean just enough for Tippett to beat him to the far post.

Travis Konecny’s power-play goal was not necessarily a conventional power play goal, but it was certainly effective. It started with Matvei Michkov reading the play and getting to the left point, where he was able to knock down a clearing attempt and get the puck to Konecny.

Drysdale’s strong play continued into the second period, as we rewind a little bit past Joel Farabee’s great feed to Konecny for the latter’s second goal. Drysdale makes an outstanding defensive play along the near boards in the Flyers zone, which starts the chain of events that gets the puck around to Farabee.

And finally, in a game full of little plays like this, here’s a notable one from Tyson Foerster. Normal instinct would be to chase this puck to the right side of the Blue Jackets forward. But Foerster sees an opportunity to slip behind him and get himself in what turns out to be a better position to strip the puck and send the play the other way.