Flyers Fall In Overtime In First Preseason Game

The Philadelphia Flyers dropped their preseason opener to the New York Islanders Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Losing 3-2 in overtime.

In their first game action of the preseason, the Flyers came out a little sluggish. Being heavily outplayed & outmuscled by the more physical Islanders throughout the 1st period.

While the Flyers didn’t want Carter Hart to get blitzed in his first 20-minutes of play, Hart was up for the challenge. Stopping all 12 Islanders shots in the 1st period.

New Flyers defenseman Ryan Ellis showed his defensive skills in the 1st. Blocking 3 Islanders shots. Even in the preseason, it is very evident what the Flyers are getting in Ellis.

After a scoreless 1st, the Flyers would strike first in the 2nd. Egor Zamula would give the Flyers a 1-0 lead 5-minutes into the 2nd.

Zamula would retrieve the puck after an offensive zone face-off win by Derick Brassard. Then, Zamula would walk the blue-line & fire a shot on net. Beating Cory Schneider high over the blocker.

The Islanders would answer soon thereafter. Adam Pelech would tie the game for the Islanders.

Pelech would fire one high blocker by Carter Hart. Kyle Palmieri would screen Hart as the puck was fired from the high slot.

That would be it for Carter Hart on the night. Hart stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced in two periods of action.

New York would take the lead approaching the mid-way point of the 3rd period. Noah Dobson would give the Islanders the lead.

Dobson would fire a point-shot through traffic on the power-play. A screened Samuel Ersson, who replaced Carter Hart to start the 3rd period, was beaten short side.

With 5-minutes left in the game, the Flyers would tie the game. Third year pro Maksim Sushko would get his first of the preseason.

Sushko would collect a wide shot-pass from the point by Ryan Ellis behind the net. Then, Sushko would wrap-it around the net & past Kenneth Appleby.

The game would go to overtime.

After a turnover by Claude Giroux at the Islanders blue-line, New York would go up the ice on a 3v2. Just 22-seconds in, Anthony Beauvillier would win it for the Islanders.

Carter Hart stopped 17 of the 18 shots in the first two periods. Samuel Ersson stopped 9 of the 11 shots over the remainder of the game.

Loose Pucks…

• Carter Hart was back to the normal Carter Hart in his first game action. Hart faced the gauntlet in the 1st period. Stopping all 12-shots he faced the 1st period. Hart finished the night with 17-saves on 18-shots.
• Ryan Ellis provided the Philadelphia fans with a great first impression. In his first game action in orange & black, Ellis blocked 4-shots, assisted on the game tying goal, & was a +1 in 23:43 of ice time.
• Ivan Provorov continued to be the Ivan Provorov we all have come to known in Philadelphia. Provorov had a team high 5-blocks & an assist in 25:34 of ice time.
• It wasn’t the best 1st preseason game for the Flyers. A sloppy 1st period led to 12 Islander shots & a silly penalty by Travis Konency in the 3rd led to an Islanders power-play goal.
• Group A got the start for the Flyers in preseason. Group B is now headed to Boston to play in Game 2 for the Flyers. Martin Jones will start in net on Thursday for the Flyers.

Result : Flyers 2 – Islanders 3 , OTL

Record :   0 – 0 – 1

Next Game : Thursday 9/30 @ Boston Bruins , Boston MA , 7:30pm

Photo Credit : Tim Nwachukwu – Getty Images