The Flyers were in Pittsburgh today to face off against the Penguins. The Flyers are still holding down 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division coming into this game at 30-21-7. They dropped a game at home yesterday against the Rangers but they were one ding of a pipe away from tying it up with just seconds left. The Penguins are currently in 7th place in the Metro but it that doesn’t give you the whole picture. They were actually only 4 points out of 4th place and they have 4 games in hand on the Flyers. Travis Konecny is still out of the line-up due to injury. Olle Lycksell got the call up and Cal Peterson started in net for the Flyers. The Devils did everyone a favor and lost to Tampa just before game-time.
Philly vs Pittsburgh
Just 2:11 into the game Lycksell, who had a multiple point game yesterday for the Phantoms, made a beautiful pass to Scott Laughton. Laughton went top short side with a shot that was redirected by Travis Sanheim who tallied his 7th goal of the season. Immediately following Garnet Hathaway stole a puck in the Penguins zone and came dangerously close to beating Tristan Jarry five hole. Pittsburgh was looking a bit back on their heels as things were getting started.
At 9:38 Cal Petersen made the initial pad save on a Rickard Rakell shot from the left circle. Sidney Crosby picked up the rebound and clumsily put it past the outstretched Petersen. Not taking a pot shot at Crosby he was just jammed in a spot with too much stick and not enough room but still managed to tie the game at one.
Pittsburgh definitely woke up in the second half of the opening period taking the lead in shots and eventually taking the lead where it counts. Marcus Pettersson took an innocent looking wrist shot from way out in the slot. Peterson dropped to his knees but Bryan Rust deflected the shot up and over the pad to put the Penguins ahead 2-1 with 2:45 left in the opening period. The Pens had definitely shifted the momentum going into the 1st intermission.
2nd Period
Scott Laughton was shot out of a cannon coming into the 2nd period working the puck around in the Pens zone. Owen Tippett made a clean pass to Tyson Foerster right in front of the net. Foerster went backhand to forehand and beat Jarry against the post just 0.55 into the period. A minute later Pittshurgh took a double minor for high-sticking giving the Flyers a great opportunity. The Penguins killed the first two minutes easily. Morgan Frost negated the second two minute advantage by slashing Reilly Smith who failed to beat Cal Petersen on a breakaway.
Turn for the worse
Bryan Rust scored his second goal of the game beating Petersen high blocker side to regain the Penguins lead 3-2. Jamie Drysdale got steam-rolled in the neutral zone by Jansen Harkins and immediately ran up the tunnel holding onto his shoulder. Nick Deslauriers went to the box for retaliating to the hit and the Penguins scored another power play goal. Cal Petersen deflected the puck up and over himself with his own stick on a short side attempt by Emil Bemstrom. Suddenly the Flyers who went with six D-men today for a change were now down to five and also short two goals with 6:22 left in the 2nd period.
Start diggin’
Travis Sanheim ripped one past Jarry from the top of the circle beating him glove side at 3:27. Just over one minute later with Sanheim in the box Noah Cates stormed into the Penguins zone with the puck. Cates was quickly running out of room. The lone defenseman dropped to his knees to negate a possible shot attempt. Cates hung onto the puck and zipped behind the net going for the wrap-around. Jarry made the save but the rebound went right to Scott Laughton all alone in front. Jarry could do nothing but sit there against the post short-side as Laughton shot the puck into the gaping net. The Flyers lead the league in shorthanded goals this season with 13.
The Flyers had just pulled themselves out of a total melt down and were headed into the final stanza with the score tied at four. Two hard-fought back and forth periods and the Flyers Pens game was starting all over again from scratch with twenty minutes left in regulation.
Never a dull moment
The 3rd period opened up with Tyson Foerster heading up the tunnel after blocking a shot. He did return to the game but just in time to make a turnover that led to Drew O’connor beating Cal Petersen from an impossible angle short side. Petersen failed to hug the post and O’connor squeezed a shot through the gap. 5-4 Penguins.
Less than two minutes later Rickard Rakell beat Cal Petersen with an off angle shot short side. Petersen failed to hug the post and Rakell squeezed a shot through the gap. 6-4 Penguins.
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Cam York beat Jarry high blocker side from the left circle with half a period to go. 6-5 Penguins.
Kris Letang beat Peterson with an absolute knuckle ball from the point with just under five minutes left. 7-5 Penguins.
At this point with almost four minutes left to go head coach John Tortorella decided to just go without a goaltender in the net. Sidney Crosby took a tripping penalty on Scott Laughton with 2:30 left on the clock giving the Flyers a 6 on 4 opportunity. The Flyers pulled off a beautiful tic-tac-toe, Laughton to Couturier to Foerster who scored his 2nd goal of the game. All it took was a tap in for Foerster after a beautiful pass from Coots. Jarry seemed to be expecting a shot from Couturier and was defenseless after the pass. 7-6 Penguins.
The Flyers used their time out, pulled Petersen again, and gave it one final shot only to come up one goal short. It was an exceptional hockey game. You are not going to see a game like this out of either of these teams very often let alone from both of them on the same night.
Extra Credit: Sidney Crosby had a four point night and was gracious after the game. He complimented the Flyers for being “resilient” and said “they are a tough team to play against”. Crosby has scored more points against the Flyers than any other player in NHL history. I guess that stat, this win, and a bit of maturity can go a long way when it comes to being civil while talking about the Philadelphia hockey club. …that may take some getting used to.
