In what felt like an unlikely situation, the Philadelphia Flyers prevailed on the road via a shootout against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Nikita Kucherov scored the opening goal late in the first period before Owen Tippett tied it late in the third to force overtime. The extra session solved nothing as we headed to a shootout where Travis Konecny and Tippett scored for the Flyers, while Ivan Fedotov stopped both of the shots thrown his way.
Fedotov made 23 saves on 24 shots for his first win of the season, Andrei Vasilevskiy was forced to wait another week for his 300th career win as he dropped his third straight decision despite making 31 saves on 32 shots, and Travis Konecny added the only helper on Tippett’s tying goal for his team-leading 15th point.
Slumping, struggling, and sitting in last place in the NHL entering this game, the Flyers visited one of their house of horrors in recent memory as they took on the Lightning at Amalie Arena.
The big story heading into this game should have just been Matvei Michkov’s healthy scratch, however the Flyers also announced that Aleksei Kolosov – who was supposed to start – was deemed day-to-day with an injury he suffered in practice. Ivan Fedotov earned the start and Kyle Konin dressed as the emergency backup on an ATO.
Anthony Richard, who was called up yesterday after Ryan Poehling was placed on IR, entered the lineup and started with Morgan Frost and Bobby Brink as the lines got another shuffle with Michkov in the press box.
As for the Lightning, they entered tonight’s contest with a 7-6-0 record and were riding a 3-game losing streak. Nikita Kucherov remained the cream of the crop with 10 goals and 22 points in 13 games, Brandon Hagel followed him with 14 points, and there was a 4-way tie for third place with 13 points.
Andrei Vasilevskiy earned the call between pipes, as he looked to improve on his 6-5-0 record, a 2.59 G.A.A. and a .903 SV%. He brought in a 14-4-0 record in 19 career games against the Flyers with a scintillating 2.26 GAA and a .929 SV%.
FIRST PERIOD
At the 6:19 mark of the first period, Tyson Foerster was nailed for a slashing minor against Nikita Kucherov, sending the struggling Tampa Bay power play onto the ice for the first time. The Flyers’ penalty kill flexed their muscles once again but with just 3 seconds remaining, Conor Geekie was absolutely robbed by Fedotov after he was set up for a one-timer by Kucherov.
With 45 seconds left, Kucherov got the Lightning on the board after he baited Fedotov out of his crease before finishing off the wrap-around attempt for his 11th of the season. Kucherov made a slight move entering the blue-line on Rasmus Ristolainen, forced Fedotov out of his crease, and just got the puck past the stick blade of Sean Couturier.
As expected, it was a tentative start to the game and the Flyers should’ve definitely been happy with their first 19 minutes as they had the edge in shots. Fedotov made some solid stops and they killed an early penalty as well. However, as has happened so many times this year, inopportune goals at inopportune times continued to plague the Flyers.
SECOND PERIOD
The middle frame did not start the way the Flyers had envisioned with the Lightning firing 8 shots towards Fedotov in the first 6 minutes, including a breakaway save on former Flyer Cam Atkinson.
The Flyers bounced back after they were able to weather the storm with 5 shots of their own to match the Lightning’s total by the midway mark of the period. With 6:19 remaining, the Flyers hopped onto their first power play of the night after Kucherov was called for a tripping minor.
Couturier had the best chance 20 seconds after the conclusion of the power play as he was stopped on a one-time attempt in the slot. The Lightning then earned another power play after Morgan Frost got the gate with 1:57 remaining but the Flyers survived and almost tied the game before Noah Cates‘ breakaway attempt went wide.
The period ended with the Flyers’ 12 shots bettering the Lightning’s 10 in the period and 19-17 through 40.
THIRD PERIOD
100 seconds into the final frame of regulation, Nick Perbix was called for a holding minor against Joel Farabee. The Flyers’ power play actually looked dangerous for once but they couldn’t solve the Russian netminder with 2 shots on goal and another 2 that missed the net.
With 4:17 remaining, Owen Tippett tied the game up after he roofed a backhander over a cheating Vasilevskiy for his third goal of the season and second goal in as many games. The Flyers jumped on a Brandon Hagel turnover and Tippett was off to the races before finishing it high over his shoulder.
With 30 seconds left, Anthony Richard came within inches of scoring the go-ahead goal but his shot went just high and wide.
In the unlikeliest of games and unlikeliest of ways, the Flyers not only controlled a good portion of the third period – and the game – but they outshot the Lightning and forced overtime. The Flyers piled 9 shots to the Lightning’s 4 in the period and held a 29-21 advantage though 60.
OVERTIME
The Lightning started off with a great chance from Hagel in the first few seconds of overtime, followed by a Kucherov net-front chance that he roofed just high, and then he whiffed on a one-timer with Fedotov seemingly out of position.
In essence, the Flyers survived and forced a shootout – the first of Fedotov’s NHL career.
SHOOTOUT
Gage Goncalves – Miss
Travis Konecny – GOAL
Victor Hedman: Miss
Owen Tippett: GOAL
The Flyers prevailed in a shootout with 2 goals on 2 shots, while Fedotov looked stout on both of his opportunities.
UP NEXT
The Flyers finish up their road trip on Saturday against the defending champion Florida Panthers (6:00pm; NBCSP).
