PHILADELPHIA – Playoff hockey is a game of inches and momentum. Something that creates a fine line you have to walk if you want a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup.
For the Flyers, those inches and momentum just haven’t been on their side in their second round series against the Hurricanes.
Game 2 overtime winner by Taylor Hall was inches away from a Dan Vladar save before hitting the back of the net. Tonight, those same inches just weren’t enough.
Rasmus Ristolainen as inches away from tying the game just seconds after Carolina took a 1-0 lead. Jaccob Slavin swiped the puck away as the puck laid on the goal line.
It was the third Flyers chance of the period that was inches from a goal. Travis Konecny and Porter Martone each hit the post early in the period.
Carolina, though, once again got those small little bounces in their favor.
Dan Vladar was beaten twice by inches on the near post. The first after another quick bounce off the end boards and the second on the Hurricanes fifth power-play on a shot by Andrei Svechnikov.
Those plays go the Flyers way and they get one of the chances that didn’t go their way, it’s a completely different game.
Instead, it’s now a 3-0 hole the Flyers must climb out of if they want their season to continue.
Trevor Zegras and Porter Martone both picked up their first points of the series.
Zegras’ second goal of the playoffs tied the game 2:31 into the second period. Martone patiently held the puck in along the blueline before his shot deflected right to Zegras for the goal.
It was the sixth straight game the Flyers have scored two or fewer goals. They are 1-4-1 in those games.
Dan Vladar made the necessary saves early to keep the Flyers in this one. He finished the night with 26 saves in a much closer game than the scoreboard says.
The Flyers now need to win out to keep their playoff hopes alive. Game 4 is Saturday at 6:00pm at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
