Feb 23, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) celebrates the game-winning goal during overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Stadium Series ice hockey game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Date Published: 11-12-2022
(Photo Credit – Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
On Saturday afternoon, the Philadelphia Flyers welcomed back their former captain Calude Giroux and the Ottawa Senators for the first half of their back to back series featuring Ottawa and the Dallas Stars. In a game full of emotions of every kind, Giroux and the Sens came out victorious.
Kevin Hayes opened the scoring early in the first period. Travis Konecny took a pass from Joel Farabee then drove to the net. There was a bit of a scrum to find it, but Hayes was the first one to do so and slid it through the legs of Cam Talbot.
Thomas Chabot evened things up later in the period for Ottawa. A defensive breakdown in front of Hart left Chabot, an offensively inclined defenseman, wide open. His shot beat Hart up high.
Konecny and Tony DeAngelo each fought in the fiery first period.
Carter Hart stopped 24/27 shots. Cam Talbot stopped 37/38 in the winning effort.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
In the second period, Nic Deslauriers and Farabee each took bad penalties in the neutral zone. Deslauriers’ penalty led to an Ottawa powerplay goal, scored by Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat, who the Flyers had interest in trading for, took a cross crease pass and had a wide open to shoot at. There was nothing Hart could do to prevent it from going in.
Also in the second period, Wade Allison went down with an injury after landing a hit in the corner. He was unable to put any weight on his right leg/hip and needed help getting off the ice and heading back to the room. Allison’s injury history is a huge concern considering he has torn an ACL before and suffered a high ankle sprain that cost him a large portion of last year.
DeBrincat scored for Ottawa again on the powerplay in the third period. The powerplay was gifted to the Sens after Scott Laughton gave Austin Watson a love-tap of a slash after Watson ran and elbowed Justin Braun.
With just under four minutes to play, Tim Stüttzle scored an empty net goal for the Sens that wrapped things up.
In his return to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded in March, Giroux tallied two assists. After the game, Giroux said the Flyers were one of the hardest teams the Senators had played against. Before the game, the Flyers saluted their former captain with a video tribute and a standing ovation from the crowd.
“It was great to have. I respect this fanbase so much and this organization, players that play on that team. It definitely felt pretty good,” Giroux said at the podium with his son, Gavin, by his side of the Flyers’ video tribute.
Philadelphia hosts the Stars tomorrow afternoon at 1p.m. It’s a quick turnaround for the team and a starting goaltender has yet to be announced.
