The Philadelphia Flyers were playing their best 60-minute effort so far this season until it all unraveled late in the 3rd. Give up three power-play goals over final 8:26 of play to lose 4-3 to the Boston Bruins in overtime.
After giving up 10-goals to the Bruins two weeks ago, the Flyers start couldn’t have been any worse tonight. Just 12-seconds in, David Pastrnak would beat Shayne Gostisbehere would a head fake & get around Gostisbehere at the blue-line. Pastrnak would then beat Carter Hart with a perfectly placed shot to back post from in tight.
Thereafter, it wouldn’t get any better for the Flyers. The Bruins would control the first 10-minutes of the period. With the Flyers first shot not coming til the 10:44 mark of the 1st period. During the first 9:16 of play, the Bruins would outshoot, 4-0, & out-attempt, 9-1, the Flyers.
Carter Hart would keep his teammates afloat. Just like Hart & Brian Elliott have done for most of the season, Hart would mark the big saves & keep the game 1-0. None bigger than robbing Connor Clifton with 8:40 left in the period. Which would get a response from his teammates.
Over the final 8:40 of the 1st period, it would be all Flyers. Who outshot, 7-2, & out-attempted, 13-5, the Bruins.
The Bruins would be the better team for most of the 2nd period. Firing nine of the first fourteen shots on net. But, with 4:31 left in the 2nd, the Flyers would tie the game.
After a Bruin broke his stick, the Flyers would take advantage. Travis Sanheim would thread a cross-ice pass to Kevin Hayes. Whose one-timer off the pass would beat Tuukka Rask.
Jake Voracek would give the Flyers the lead 1:03 into the 3rd period. After exiting the penalty box, James van Riemsdyk would win a puck battle & the puck would find Travis Sanheim. Whose shot would rebound right to Voracek for the slam dunk.
Another James van Riemsdyk’s defensive play would lead to a Flyers goal. van Riemsdyk would win a battle at the point & send the Flyers in on a 2v1. Scott Laughton would pass to Joel Farabee. Who went bardown to beat Tuukka Rask to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead.
It would all unravel from there for the Flyers. Mainly due to sloppy, untimely, & just bad penalties. The Bruins would score on all three power-plays over the final 8:26 to win 4-3 in overtime.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel would get a delay of game penalty for closing his hand on the puck with 8:05 left. Kevin Hayes would get a hooking penalty with 2:01 left. Scott Laughton would get an interference penalty with 0:08 left.
Carter Hart would stop 31 of the 35 shots he faced in the losing effort.
Loose Pucks…
– After passing Bobby Clarke to become the longest tenured captain in Flyers history last week, Claude Giroux reached another milestone tonight. Giroux played in his 900th career game. Becoming only the third Flyers player to play 900-games in Philadelphia. (Bobby Clarke 1144 & Bill Barber 903)
– Even though Nicolas Aube-Kubel didn’t end up on the score-sheet, his presence was certainly felt. Aube-Kubel was an one-man wrecking ball tonight. Causing havoc with his heavy hits. It was one of Aube-Kubel’s best games so far this season.
– The Flyers continue to fall back into their poor transition & puck moving troubles when under pressure. Tonight, multiple times trying to be too cute instead of making the simple pass or play. Coming to a head in the 2nd period when it almost costed them going down 2-0. Travis Konecny decided drop a pass to Kevin Hayes on the power-play instead of dumping it in. Bruins Sean Kuraly would get a break-away because of it. But, Carter Hart would bail out his teammates once again.
– After holding the Bruins to just one shot on their lone power-play, the Flyers gave up three goals on all three power-plays over the final 8:26 of play. Coming into the night, the Flyers penalty kill had 93.3% success rate during their 4-game win streak.
– James van Riemsdyk has been under a lot of fire since returning to the Flyers in 2018. van Riemsdyk’s defense & scoring not living up to his contract being the two main faults. However, van Riemsdyk continued tonight to prove why he is so valuable to the Flyers. Creating turnovers that lead to both the Flyers 3rd period goals.
Result : Flyers 3 – Bruins 4 , OVERTIME LOSE
Record : 7 – 2 – 2
Next Game : 2/5 Boston Bruins, Philadelphia PA, 7:00pm
Photo Credit : Bruce Bennett – Getty Images
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