PHILADELPHIA — Even in his third NHL season, it’s still not a comfortable situation for Bobby Brink.
Standing along the back wall in the Philadelphia Flyers’ dressing room after the game, surrounded by reporters with their obtrusive iPhone recorders just inches from his face and television cameras with their lights turned up brighter than necessary, Brink subtly, but noticeably, trembles. As a result, his answers are brief and not all that stimulating.
On the ice it’s been a different story.
Brink scored twice and added an assist on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center in the Flyers’ 4-3 shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s become a valuable depth piece on what is now an undermanned Flyers team. Playing on a new line with Ryan Poehling and Olle Lycksell, Brink’s performance helped the Flyers snap a miserable five-game losing streak, all of which were at home.
Now with 10 goals and 32 points on the season, including nine points in his last nine games, Brink looks right at home.
“He’s taken a huge step in his development as far as what it is to be a pro, how he carries himself and how well he’s played consistently throughout the year,” coach John Tortorella said.
Ironically, Brink getting taken off the Noah Cates-Tyson Foerster line, which had been the Flyers’ most consistent trio since Thanksgiving, was made in order to try and spark a slumping Travis Konecny, who struggled again on Thursday and now has just one goal in his last 20 games.
Instead, it was Brink who was the beneficiary, along with his new linemates, who each had two points themselves.
Brink’s first goal tied the game at 1-1 off the rush. He finished off a sequence that began with Poehling dishing the puck to Lycksell, who then feathered a pass through Ryan McDonagh. Brink played the puck off his left skate to his stick blade in one motion and zipped in a shot high over Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson at 14:20.
His second tied the game again, this time at two apiece halfway through the middle frame. Sean Couturier sent a pass from deep in the defensive zone to center ice, where Brink had just emerged from the penalty box. Brink charged in on a partial breakaway, moving to his backhand and lifting it past Johansson.
He wasn’t done. About a minute before the second intermission, Brink chased down a loose puck and held off McDonagh just long enough to spot Lycksell, who then found Poehling in the slot. Poehling maneuvered the puck behind Johansson to give the Flyers their first lead at 19:01 of the second period.
“Offensively, I thought we stayed close and made a lot of in-tight plays,” Poehling said.
Bobby Brink and Ryan Poehling celebrate after Brink’s first-period goal. (Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
It was that third goal, in particular, that showcased what has endeared Brink to Tortorella over the three years they’ve been together — his ability to play smart, positional hockey while using his slight frame to his advantage.
“I’m happy for him, because I think he’s found an area that I don’t think he (thought) he could play,” Tortorella said. “Was a scorer in college, small guy. Probably doesn’t think he’s good enough to check. But he’s found a way to play hard in those areas, and I think that’s taken him to another level this year. It’s really good to see.”
Brink said before the season began that he put on about five pounds over the summer, which isn’t a whole lot. But considering he’s just five-foot-nine, perhaps that was all he needed to play a sturdier game all over the ice.
In a conversation away from those invasive cameras after Thursday’s game, he expanded a bit on that aspect of his evolution.
“I’m a little stronger,” he said. “I wouldn’t say a crazy amount, but I think definitely a little bit stronger. I feel like I’ve always had good hockey strength as a player, especially being a lot lighter than most of the guys out there and still being able to hold onto pucks. Definitely a little bit stronger, but just the hockey strength, I feel good.”
The Flyers desperately needed a win as they prepare to close out the homestand on Saturday with Carolina. On Thursday morning, Tortorella spoke at length about how difficult a situation it is for the team after they subtracted so many important parts over the past few weeks.
“You know what’s challenging for me? I feel bad for those guys. I feel for my team,” he said.
His pity comes primarily from the fact that he still trusts the team to play hard. While that seemed to decline in the immediate aftermath of the Flyers trading away Scott Laughton and Erik Johnson last Friday, they’ve at least been more energized lately.
It didn’t translate into wins, as the Flyers dropped home games to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday and Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. But the work finally paid off on Thursday, as Samuel Ersson did enough in net with 17 saves on 20 shots.
“You hope it helps the confidence. It will,” Tortorella said. “I know we’ve lost the last couple, but we’ve certainly played better coming into tonight’s game. We end up scoring some goals. Got a couple saves when we needed them.
“They know the situation. That’s why I appreciate it. I don’t think there’s going to be ever a problem in how hard they’re going to play. But it’s hard for them. I’m happy they can enjoy it.”
They can enjoy it primarily because of Brink, who registered his second career two-goal game.
“I have been all over Bobby for the first couple of years,” Tortorella said. “I just like the way he’s handled it. He’s just taken it on. I think he’s accepted the challenge.”
(Top photo: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
