Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) watches for the puck drop on a 3rd interval face-off towards the Pittsburgh Penguins in sport 5 of the primary spherical of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Area. Obligatory Credit score: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Photos Trailing the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 within the Japanese Convention semifinals, the Philadelphia Flyers shall be with out versatile two-way middle Noah Cates for the rest of the series attributable to a lower-body harm.
Cates, 27, has 4 factors (one aim, three assists) in eight playoff video games following the very best offensive season of his profession, when he posted 47 factors (18 targets, 29 assists) in 82 video games.
“I imply, he is been Mr. Consistency all 12 months. Does loads of issues for us,” coach Rick Tocchet stated Wednesday. “However like I stated, it is no completely different than different groups. Subsequent man up. You’ve got heard the drill earlier than.”
Cates averages 16:15 in ice time and is one of the league’s high defensive forwards, because the Flyers averaged just one.67 targets towards per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 through the common season with him on the ice.
Regardless of shedding Cates, Tocchet is assured within the Flyers’ centermen, together with 20-year-old rookie Denver Barkey, who has obtained extra time on the place. Trevor Zegras will return to middle as a transfer “to get him going,” Tocchet stated.
Veteran Sean Couturier is a dependable possibility on the place together with Christian Dvorak, who is predicted to play in Recreation 3 regardless of an undisclosed harm.
With the Flyers restricted to 2 targets over the primary two video games, Tocchet is encouraging his gamers to have a “shot-first mentality” to beat the Hurricanes’ defensive aggressiveness.
“I feel to assist some guys out which can be struggling towards Carolina, they have to have a shot-first mentality,” he stated. You’ve got received to have the ability to make a mess around them. I feel some guys are overpassing and that is the one factor Carolina’s good at. They make you overpass. However in case you throw pucks on the web, beat their aggressiveness, you are going to get probabilities.”
One of the best-of-seven series resumes Thursday evening with Recreation 3 in Philadelphia.
–Subject Stage Media
Source link
#Deadspin #Flyers #Noah #Cates #physique #rest #series #Canes
