NEWARK, N.J. — Things are going so well on the ice for Tyson Foerster this season that even his injury issues haven’t slowed him down.
First there was the elbow injury suffered in the World Championships that became infected and threatened his ability to start the season with the Flyers. That problem had a happy ending. But there have been more recent hurdles.
He blocked a shot with his foot, costing him a few games. Then coach Rick Tocchet decided to break up the highly successful Foerster-Noah Cates-Bobby Brink line.
Foerster, however, hasn’t missed a beat. He scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season in Friday’s 4-3 shootout win at the New York Islanders. At this rate, he could improve on last year’s 25-goal performance, which came after a slow start.
What’s the difference with the quicker getaway this time around?
“Getting the bounces I think,” he said before Saturday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. “I feel good. I just want to stay consistent throughout the whole year. That’s the plan.”
Tocchet mentioned that Foerster is doing a better job of getting to the scoring areas. When he does, Cates or new lineman Travis Konecny seem to get the puck onto his stick.
“I feel like I can read off Catesy and ‘TK,” Foerster said. “TK likes to go high and I like to go high. Catesy is usually in the corner battling and getting the pucks up to us. If I see TK go high, I usually go to the net. Hopefully bang one in that way.”
Tocchet didn’t hesitate to put Foerster on the penalty kill this season. It’s duty that makes him a more well-rounded player.
As for Foerster’s quick scoring start, Tocchet listed a couple of factors.
“His release of the shot is really elite,” Tocchet said. “He’s been banged up this year, didn’t get to practice much. When he gets that puck in the slot, his release is elite. He’s a hockey player. Scrappy. Even on that goal, the Islanders had it but he knocked it off the guy and scored. Big goal for us.”
The coach likes Foerster’s versatility. He even uses video of Foerster’s play to set an example.
“He gets to the holes quick,” Tocchet said. “I’m a triangle guy, and he probably gets to that triangle fast. Because there’s not a lot of room sometimes. He gets the shot off but he also seems to arrive there on time for that pass. He’s one of those guys that gets what we’re trying to do.”
• • •
The Flyers held a lead for more than half of the game against the Islanders, then gave up a three-goal edge in less than 15 minutes.
Is protecting leads something that Tocchet thinks his team has to work on?
“Yeah, I think for us it’s game management,” Tocchet said. “Don’t put yourself in situations where your stick isn’t down. I’m not blaming the refs but usually any kind of calls that go against you are when you’re up like three-nothing.
“There were a couple times when we have the puck, skate with it. Make a play. Sometimes, I think, you kind of wait because I don’t know if you’re playing safe. We’re trying to put our finger on it. We have to correct it. But I give these guys a lot of credit. They aren’t giving up. I’ll take a team that does that any day of the week.”
Source: Berkshire mont