The Philadelphia Flyers started up a home-and-home series with the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night. The first one wrapped up a six-game homestand at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Sam Ersson got the start in net, and there were no lineup changes. The Flyers blew an early two-zero lead, and the game ultimately went all the way to a shootout. They’d take a loss as Jackson Blake was the only one to score. The orange and black dropped to 16-9-5 on the season.
The Hurricanes got the game’s first power play at the 3:57 mark of the first period as Matvei Michkov was called for tripping. Ersson had to make a few big saves on Seth Jarvis, and the Flyers had a chance while shorthanded on a two-on-zero. Ty Murchison also made a great play to break up a pass.
Bobby Brink gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at the 10:04 mark of the first. Trevor Zegras made a drop-back pass to him, and Brink put a wrist shot past the glove of Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov. Christian Dvorak provided a nice screen in front. Zegras and Sanheim tallied assists.
The Flyers took a 2-0 lead at the 17:34 mark of the first period courtesy of Zegras. Travis Konecny, from below the goal line, made a backhanded pass to Zegras in front, and he put a snap shot past the blocker of Kochetkov. Konecny and Jamie Drysdale each picked up an assist.
Nikolaj Ehlers got the Hurricanes on the board at the 9:11 mark of the second period. Murchison turned the puck over to Shayne Gostisbehere. Gostisbehere then passed the puck to Ehlers, who put a snap shot under the glove of Ersson from the slot. Gostisbehere received the only assists. This made the score 2-1 Flyers.
The Hurricanes tied the game up at two at the 14:12 mark of the second thanks to Alexander Nikishin. His slap shot from the top of the right circle went off the skate of Noah Cates in front and past Ersson. Joel Nystrom and Taylor Hall were given assists.
Zegras got called for delay of game (puck over glass) at the 16:54 mark of the second period. This gave the Hurricanes their second power play. The Flyers did a great job of stealing pucks and clearing them down the ice. The Hurricanes didn’t record any shots on net.
Seth Jarvis gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead at the 12:26 mark of the third period. Andrei Svechnikov made a pass up the ice that sent Jarvis on a breakaway. Jarvis then put a wrist shot just past the left skate of Ersson. Assists were given to Svechnikov and Gostisbehere.
23 seconds later, Carl Grundstrom tied the game up at three for the Flyers. He went on a two-on-one with Garnet Hathaway, and Grundstrom put a snap shot over the glove of Kochetkov. Rodrigo Abols’ nice play up the wall set it up. Abols and Noah Juulsen tallied assists.
No one else scored in regulation, so the game went to overtime. Ersson had to make a few huge saves on Gostisbehere and Staal to keep the game going.
The game then went to a shootout. The Flyers sent out Zegras, Michkov, Konecny and Brink, and the Hurricanes sent out Jarvis, Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Blake. Blake was the only one to score, securing a 4-3 victory for Carolina.
Flyers didn’t have any power plays but killed off both of the Hurricanes’ man advantages.
Ersson saved 18 of 21 shots, giving him a .857 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
Brink (8) Assists: Zegras (18), Sanheim (12)
Zegras (12) Assists: Konecny (18), Drysdale (11)
2nd Period:
Ehlers (8) Assists: Gostisbehere (20)
Nikishin (4) Assists: Nystrom (5), Hall (20)
3rd Period:
Jarvis (18) Assists: Svechnikov (11), Gostisbehere (21)
Grundstrom (2) Assists: Abols (1), Juulsen (4)
Overtime:
No goals
Shoot-out:
Blake
Flyers Next Game
Flyers next game is Sunday, Dec. 14, in Raleigh against the Hurricanes.
About Author
