Flyers Notes: McGinn providing instant offense

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There have been a number of positives for the Flyers in their last three games.
 
Although it may be hard to fathom with a 1-6-0 record in the Eastern Conference, Craig Berube’s club is getting better each game.
 
On Tuesday, they had a couple of breakdowns to ruin what should have been a victory (see story). And in the process, wasted Tye McGinn’s two goals.
 
Berube wants guys with passion driving the net, diving for pucks and hitting people. McGinn is all of that right now.
 
He is the Flyers' leading scorer after just two games having been called up from the Phantoms as Scott Hartnell’s injury replacement.
 
“I am just trying to be open ears right now,” McGinn said. “I’m trying to get as much information as I can right now.
 
“Coach is telling me to drive the net and you have guys like [Claude Giroux], [Jakub] Voracek all saying drive the net, drive the net and that is what I’m trying to do, and right now I’m [working for it].
 
Career-wise, the 23-year-old native from Fergus, Ontario has six goals in just 20 NHL games.
 
McGinn, who also had three hits, gave the Flyers two leads in Tuesday's game but they couldn’t hold onto it.
 
“Definitely is tough,” he said. “You know, we were going 2-1 in that third period and to give up two goals against them in the third, it definitely bites you in the tongue, but we have to find ways to win.”
 
What tied it
Vancouver’s Chris Higgins had the killer goal early in the third period that made it 2-2.
 
It saw Henrik Sedin nab his 800th career point with an assist, standing behind the net playing with the puck, then making a move to draw Nick Grossmann toward him before passing the puck to Higgins.

Giroux and Braydon Coburn each failed to react in time to cover Higgins in the slot.

Higgins said the plan was to free Sedin so he could work his magic with the puck.
 
“If teams are going to leave them back there, if they are going to chase him, it doesn’t really matter. He is so good,” Higgins said.
 
“Like I said, you just have to get open and he feathers a saucer pass right there in the slot for me.”
 
Special guests
United States Army Specialist Brian Frammigen from Hillside, N.J., currently serving with the Army’s 462nd Transportation Battalion out of Trenton, N.J., escorted Lauren Hart during the national anthem.
 
Tuesday was cancer awareness night at the arena. In collaboration with the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, the Flyers welcomed 6-year-old Philadelphia native Andrew Voyiadjis, along with representatives from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
 
Voyyiadjis was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma more than a year ago. He underwent countless treatments and surgeries, and is now cancer-free. His family credits his recovery to the support he received from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
 
Voyiadjis lends support to the LLS, and volunteers his services for fundraisers to help others with cancer.
 
Children and families from the Virtua Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia were part of Giroux’s Crew in Suite F for the game.
 
Loose pucks
The Canucks came into the game with a power play nearly as poor as the Flyers -- ranked 25th at 10.5 percent efficiency. The biggest difference on special teams was the Canucks' penalty kill, which was ranked third at 90.5 percent. ... Vancouver coach John Tortorella is now first among active U.S.-born coaches with 414 victories. ... The Flyers won 15 faceoffs and were a poor 30 percent (15 for 35) on draws. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it was their worst night in the circle since Feb. 15, 2009, when they were 15 for 52 (28.8 percent) in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. ... Voracek has just eight shots in seven games. He had one against Vancouver.

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