Rick Tocchet’s hard coaching lit a fire under Trevor Zegras in Game 3: ‘It’s been like that all year; he doesn’t pout’

During the Flyers’ Game 3 loss to Carolina, the Sportsnet cameras caught Trevor Zegras and Rick Tocchet in the middle of a heated conversation.

You’d need a lip reader to determine what Tocchet said, but Zegras came right back over the boards and scored the Flyers’ only goal of the game in the second period, his first playoff goal since Game 3 of the Pittsburgh series.

That moment was indicative of the strong relationship Zegras and Tocchet have built during their first year with the Flyers, which has helped Zegras more than double his scoring output from last season and grow into a key piece of the Flyers’ future.

“The one thing I have a ton of respect for is he’ll get in your face, but then he won’t ever sit you down for shifts,” Zegras said. “He puts you right back on the ice, so whether or not it puts a fire in you or fuel or just teaching you something, he always gives you that chance to go and prove yourself on the next shift, which I love.”

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Zegras’ turnaround since the Flyers acquired him this offseason in a trade with Anaheim is one of the biggest reasons the Flyers are in the second round of the playoffs in the first place.

But like the rest of the Flyers, Zegras has gone through ups and downs during their playoff run. After putting up four points in his first four playoff games, he was held off the score sheet for four games before his latest goal.

His line struggled to generate chances at five-on-five, and Zegras was moved from center to wing and then back to center to try to spark something. What separates Zegras is his willingness to be coached hard.

“The one thing I love with Trevor, you can give it to him,” Tocchet said. “It’s been like that all year; he doesn’t pout. He takes it.”

The Flyers are one game away from elimination, and every game from here on out will be “do or die,” Tocchet said. With Owen Tippett and Noah Cates sidelined, the Flyers are relying even more on their top scorers, including Zegras, many of whom are playing in their first career playoff games.

On the power play, where Zegras was the team’s leading scorer in the regular season, the Flyers need to find a way to improve their process in nearly every area, from zone entries to their passing and shooting. But Zegras was confident entering Game 4 on Saturday (6 p.m., TNT), despite the three-games-to-none series deficit.

“He’s the last guy I’m worried about,” Tocchet said. “He’s a very coachable kid.”

» READ MORE: Flyers lose their heads and Game 3 in one swoop: ‘We’ve got to be more disciplined’