The Philadelphia Flyers’ resiliency came out in a big way as they held on for a 3-2 victory over the NHL-leading Boston Bruins.
Travis Konecny opened the scoring with 1:45 remaining in the second period to give the Flyers the all-important first goal and lead in the hockey game entering the third period.
Justin Brazeau then tied things up midway through the third period before Konecny reclaimed the lead with his second of the game and 30th of the season. Danton Heinen needed just 56 seconds to re-tie the game with just 3:48 left in regulation before Tyson Foerster scored the game-winning goal with just 89 seconds left ripping a hard shot off the wing.
Samuel Ersson made 18 saves for the victory while Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in the defeat. The Flyers had lost seven straight to Boston before today’s afternoon clash and are now four points up on Washington with both teams playing tomorrow.
After claiming three out of a possible four points against the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this week, the Flyers embarked on a daunting back-to-back set that started with an afternoon matinee against the Bruins. The Flyers were finally able to squash their longest active losing streak against Toronto and were hoping to do the same against a Boston team they haven’t beaten in seven straight contests, dating back to October 21st, 2021.
After being made a healthy scratch over the last two games, Sean Couturier returned to the lineup in lieu of Nicolas Deslauriers, and was slotted on the starting line of the game with Noah Cates and Olle Lycksell. Samuel Ersson returned in goal after a solid outing in Carolina and Cam Atkinson, Marc Staal, and Denis Gurianov remained on the sidelines.
As for the big bad Bruins, they entered today’s afternoon tilt in first place in the NHL with a 41-15-15 record and holding onto the throne by one point with the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks right on their tail. After going to overtime in seven of eight games, the Bruins have since gone 7-3-1, including a 5-2 loss to the Rangers in their most recent game.
David Pastrňák led the way with 44 goals, 55 assists, and 99 points. He was followed up by Brad Marchand‘s 27 goals and 62 points, Charlie Coyle‘s 23 goals and 54 points, and Pavel Zacha‘s 30 assists and 47 points. Linus Ullmark got the start this time around with Jeremy Swayman having played against New York – and Swayman allowing five goals the last time these two teams met.
FIRST PERIOD
Egor Zamula was nailed for an interference minor at the 4:59 mark of the first period. The third-ranked penalty kill of the Philadelphia Flyers did a fantastic job to start the game against the eighth-ranked power play unit of the Boston Bruins as they were held without a shot for 110 seconds until they fired two in quick order.
Tyson Foerster rang one up squarely off the post in the early moments of the game, but the Flyers didn’t record their first shot on goal until the 10:50 mark when Joel Farabee jumped on a fortuitous bounce near the face-off dot for a dangerous scoring opportunity.
After Erik Johnson collided with Brad Marchand in a knee-on-knee collision, Marchand – who felt the brunt of the hit – was the one assessed with an unsportsmanlike conduct after he gave an earful to the referees for the missed the call at the 14:00 mark of the period. The seventh-ranked penalty kill unit of the Bruins pulled a masterclass on the 32nd-ranked Flyers power play unit, not allowing them to make any plays – nothing, not even a crisp pass.
Hampus Lindholm‘s shot with 2:53 remaining in the period was Boston’s first shot since Charlie Coyle’s attempt on the power play at the 6:55 mark – a stretch of almost 11 minutes.
The Bruins jumped onto their second power play of the afternoon after Cam York was found guilty of a slashing minor with 2:47 remaining. With 33 seconds remaining in the minor, James van Riemsdyk headed to the penalty bench for a holding penalty as the Flyers quickly jettisoned on a shorthanded rush.
The Flyers went shot-less in the first 47 seconds of the power play before the period came to a close. Nevertheless, both teams headed into the locker room tied at zero on the scoreboard and with the Bruins holding a slight edge on the shot clock at 6-5.
SECOND PERIOD
In a game with very little scoring chances – or shots – van Riemsdyk had 2 golden opportunities in his office to get the Bruins on the board midway through the period but he was first stopped by the skate of Samuel Ersson and then followed up by his sprawling body.
The Flyers then survived a dangerous shift from the Bruins top line after they were hemmed in their own zone and on the ice for over two minutes with Johnson and Zamula being out there for over two and a half minutes. The Flyers kept them to the outside for the most part but you don’t want Pastrňák zigzagging in the offensive zone for that long.
With 3:17 remaining, Andrew Peeke was sent to the sin bin for a high-sticking minor against Noah Cates. On their first shot in three power play attempts, Travis Konecny was able to sneak one past the outstretched pad of Linus Ullmark at the tail end of the power play for his 29th of the season. Scott Laughton found Foerster in the slot for a one-timer but his flubbed opportunity went right to the unmarked Konecny at the side of the net to get the Flyers on the board.
With 26 seconds remaining, Laughton jumped on a breakaway that was set up by a sliding defensive play by Johnson. He tried elevating his deke attempt but Ullmark flashed the glove to keep the Flyers at bay.
In a rather mundane contest between two usually fierce rivals, the Flyers entered the second intermission leading 1-0 on the scoreboard and holding a 13-12 edge in shots.
THIRD PERIOD
With 9:41 remaining in regulation, the Bruins tied the game at one courtesy of Justin Brazeau. It was a close play at the blueline, but Coyle entered the offensive zone legally before pushing it forward to Brazeau, who danced around Ersson for his third goal in four games and fifth on the season.
With 4:44 remaining in the period, Konecny scored his second of the game and the 30th of his season after wiring a shot from the just outside of the face-off dot that went right underneath the pad of Ullmark. Konecny might have been looking for a rebound off the pad as Owen Tippett was racing in towards the blue paint, but instead it went under the pad for a pivotal goal.
56 seconds later, Danton Heinen tied the game up after Morgan Geekie found him racing in on the other side of the ice. Geekie had about four black jerseys converging on him, and he looked up and saw Heinen racing before he threaded the needle with a crisp pass. Heinen finished over the shoulder of Ersson for his 14th of the season.
With just 89 seconds remaining in the third, Foerster ripped a hard shot top-shelf over the glove of Ullmark off the rush after playing pitch and catch with Ryan Poehling before entering the zone. Just moments before his go-ahead goal, Tippett had his breakaway chance thwarted and the referees missed two blatant penalties.
After the goal and before the ensuing draw, the Bruins pulled Ullmark for the extra attacker. The Bruins had a couple chances at the onset but the Flyers recieved a clutch blocked shot and a few clearances to ice the victory.
UP NEXT
The Flyers’ run through the gauntlet continues tomorrow afternoon when the visiting Florida Panthers walk into the confines of Wells Fargo Center (6:00pm ET, NBCSP) on Saturday.
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