Penguins Score Three Unanswered, Flyers Fall 5-4 in Overtime

The Philadelphia Flyers picked up a point but fell 5-4 in overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins Thursday night. With the loss, the Flyers’ record dropped to 26-26-8 with 22 games remaining.

Matvei Michkov had another big game, earning three points with two goals and an assist, catapulting him to the top of the NHL rookie scoring ladder. Noah Cates and Owen Tippett also scored for the Flyers in Thursday’s loss.

The Flyers suffocated the Penguins in the first period of Thursday’s contest.

It took Pittsburgh 14 minutes and 40 seconds into the first period before they even registered a shot on goal. The Flyers controlled the neutral zone for most of the period, and the Penguins were unable to generate much of anything within the first 15 minutes of the period.

While the Penguins were able to pick things up a bit towards the end of the period, Noah Cates (13) made the difference in the period’s score. The Cates line continued their excellent play from Tuesday’s game to Thursday’s. Bobby Brink (20) and Egor Zamula (11) got the assists on the Cates goal. The Flyers held a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The first period lacked offense. The second period made up for it.

Owen Tippett (18) and Matvei Michkov (18) both tallied scores in the first eight minutes of the second period. Michkov (25) has an assist on the Tippett goal, along with Nick Seeler (11). Tippett (17) and Rasmus Ristolainen (15) earned assists on the Michkov tally.

With the Flyers leading 3-0 just around the halfway mark of the game, the Penguins pulled goaltender Alex Nedelijkovic in favor of Joel Blomqvist, which gave them a spark.

Phil Tomasino (9) scored his second goal against the Flyers in as many games, and put Pittsburgh on the board.

30 seconds later, Erik Karlsson (7) brought Pittsburgh back within one with his first goal of the night. Michkov (19) scored his second goal of the period–a power-play goal. After the Michkov goal, it was all Pittsburgh from there.

Karlsson (8) answered Michkov’s second score with his second goal of the period. The Penguins brought it back to a one goal game, trailing 4-3 heading into the second intermission. Evgeni Malkin (11) tied the game up at four a piece just two and a half minutes into the third period.

Both sides traded dangerous possessions one after another, but the goaltending stood tall for the remaining 17 minutes and 30 seconds of the period, leading to free hockey in Pittsburgh.

With the Flyers distracted by Pittsburgh’s line change, the Penguins had a two-on-one chance: two future hall-of-famers vs. Jamie Drysdale.

Kris Letang fed Malkin, with Drysdale between the two, doing all he could. Malking showed his patience, and waited out the Flyers lone defender, and cashed in with the overtime-winner. The Penguins scored three straight goals to end the Flyers’ three-game winning streak.

The Flyers will head to Winnipeg, as they will face off with the scorching Jets on Saturday.