Despite leading by two goals at one point, the Philadelphia Flyers had to settle for one point at Madison Square Garden, dropping an overtime decision to the New York Rangers, 6-5.
Scott Laughton and Ryan Poehling’s second period goals gave the Flyers that 2-0 lead just over halfway through the second period, and it was all downhill from there. Mika Zibanejad, Jonny Brodzinski, and Alexis Lafreniere scored three goals unanswered to put the Rangers up 3-2.
The Rangers would eventually win, as the score says, and Laughton isn’t interested in any feel-good stories that might come from this one.
Mental lapses sink Flyers
“Like I’ve said before, this time of year, moral victories don’t really do it,” a frustrated Laughton said. “I thought we were in control of it and should’ve got two [points].”
Chris Kreider got an easy screen on Sam Ersson on Zibanejad’s tally, while Brodzinski’s equalizer was a gift via an Erik Johnson turnover. Lafreniere’s goal was a bit of a fluke, though Poehling was too slow to remove the puck from the crease in time.
Three goals out of six could have been prevented with a little more urgency.
Flyers’ power play woes continue
So, the Flyers have actually scored a power play goal in three straight games, but it doesn’t feel like it. The power play goal against Florida ended up being an empty goal that didn’t matter all that much, and Poehling’s power play goal tonight was erased by Vincent Trocheck’s short-handed goal that gave New York a 4-3 lead less than three minutes after Travis Konecny tied the game.
Momentum matters, even if goals aren’t going in the net on either side of the ice.
Timeliness also matters, and the Flyers got the best and the worst of that on Tuesday night. It showed on the scoreboard, too.
Fighting Flyers go the distance… again
Sublime individual efforts around the net from Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster, sandwiched by Lafreniere’s second goal, forced overtime and allowed the Flyers to earn a crucial point in the standings.
Tippett drove the net on a breakaway, and with a bit of luck, his backhand attempt found iron, Igor Shesterkin’s rear, and the back of the net.
Foerster punched home a loose puck a la Adam Henrique against New York in 2012, and his celebration was the stuff of fairytales.
The ending of the game was anything but, however, as Flyers head coach John Tortorella elected to start Poehling, who was clearly hobbled in regulation, with Noah Cates and Travis Sanheim. The Flyers never touched the puck, and as you would guess, lost the game to Adam Fox and the Rangers, 6-5. One shot, one goal, and one crushing loss for Philadelphia.
“The fact that we kept scratching and clawing to get back into that game and get a point was an awesome point, an awesome effort by everybody,” Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw said after the game.
With that, the Flyers finish the night in third place in the Metropolitan Division – one point ahead of the Washington Capitals, who have two games in hand.
The Flyers’ greatest test of strength is yet to come.
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