The Philadelphia Flyers won another close game, this time by a score of 2-1, as Bobby Brink’s late tally proved to be winner against the St. Louis Blues.
Garnet Hathaway opened the scoring in the first before Nathan Walker tied things up midway through the third period. However, with 3 minutes left in the third, the Flyers jumped on a turnover just outside the Blues’ zone and connected for the game-winner.
Samuel Ersson recorded his fourth win of the season and 3rd in 3 attempts with a 20-save performance while Jordan Binnington was the tough-luck loser with a 19-save performance of his own.
The Philadelphia Flyers returned home on the heels of a shutout victory over the Boston Bruins and 2 wins in their last 3 contests as they welcomed the St. Louis Blues.
The Flyers unsurprisingly went with an unchanged lineup as John Tortorella kept the same lines intact that held the Bruins to just 12 shots in the final 2 periods. Samuel Ersson received the nod once more with Aleksei Kolosov serving as his immediate backup for the foreseeable future.
As for the Blues, they completely altered their roster and lines after an 8-1 drubbing at the hands of the Ottawa Senators earlier this week. Jordan Binnington received the call in goal as he looked to improve on his 2-4-0 record, 3.12 GAA, and .895 SV%.
FIRST PERIOD
At the 4:42 mark of the game, Jordan Kyrou was called for a hooking minor, sending the suddenly-dangerous Flyers power play to work. They created one dangerous opportunity but kept looking for cross-seam passes that the Blues read perfectly.
The flow of the game was rapid to start with the Blues holding a 7-5 shot advantage through the first 11 minutes and almost no whistles. However with 8:48 remaining, Ryan Poehling danced his way through the middle of the ice and almost the entire Blues defense before setting up Garnet Hathaway for the one-time finish. Nick Seeler received the secondary assist.
After a quick start from both teams, the latter half tightened up with no shots on goal in the final 8:48 – with Poehling’s goal being the last recorded shot.
SECOND PERIOD
At the 2:34 mark of the period, Erik Johnson was called for an interference minor away from the play, sending the Blues onto their first power play of the night. The Blues recorded one shot on goal and then were assessed a minor penalty of their own with Oskar Sundqvist getting called for an offensive zone trip.
Sean Couturier was then whistled for a tripping minor with 12:07 remaining in what was a penalty-filled start to the second period, with neither team looking dangerous. The shot blocking of the Flyers came to the forefront once more, limiting the Blues to the outside for another stout kill.
Both clubs traded a few chances apiece but they entered the intermission with an unchanged score as the Flyers clung to a 1-0 lead and a 16-14 advantage in shots.
THIRD PERIOD
5:20 into the third, the Flyers jumped on their third power play of the night, looking for a far better result, unfortunately they weren’t able to set up yet again or really create anything of relative danger.
Nathan Walker then tied the game at 1 with 10:02 remaining in regulation after a great setup from Philip Broberg. The defensemen essentially self-passed the puck off the boards before firing a shot towards Ersson, with the rebound falling into Walker’s lap for his first of the season.
With 3:01 remaining the Flyers re-took the lead after Kyrou lost control of the puck just outside of their own blue-line. Scott Laughton picked up, sent it forward to Bobby Brink who quickly passed it off to Joel Farabee, and he gave it back to Brink at the front of the net for the deflection for his second of the season.
With the net empty, the Blues attempted to empty the tank but Ersson and the defense stood tall to secure the Flyers’ second straight win and third in four games.
UP NEXT
The Flyers host the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon (1:00pm ET; NBCSP).
