The Philadelphia Flyers started a five-game road trip against the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. With only a win and six losses on the homestand, it’s time the Flyers get back on the winning track. Ivan Fedotov got the start in net. They’d get shut out for the second game in a row with a two-to-zero loss. Fedotov stood on his head all night and the Flyers had five power play opportunities to capitalize on. They fall to 28-33-8 on the season.
The Flyers got the game’s first power play at the 9:46 mark of the first period as Yanni Gourde was called for hooking. While they didn’t capitalize on the opportunity, they looked rather dangerous. Lightning’s goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had to make two huge saves on Tyson Foerster and Matvei Michkov from in tight.
The Lightning got their first power play at the 17:41 mark of the first period as Jamie Drysdale was called for holding. It was short-lived, however, as Jake Guentzel was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. It then became four-on-four. The Lightning took advantage of this. Travis Konecny couldn’t control the puck in his skates and Nikita Kucherov went the other way on a breakaway. He put a wrist shot past Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov. The goal was unassisted.
The Flyers got caught with too many men on the ice at the 3:33 mark of the second period, which gave the Lightning their second power play. The Flyers did a great job stealing and clearing the puck when given the opportunity. Fedotov had to come up big once again on this one.
Brandon Hagel was called for holding at the 5:32 mark of the second period. This came with two seconds remaining on their power play. This gave the Flyers their second power play. They yet again couldn’t capitalize but had a few good chances around the net. Noah Cates was called for slashing and Anthony Cirelli for roughing 15 seconds before the power play ended at the 7:18 mark of the second period.
The Flyers got their fourth and fifth power play at the 11:38 mark of the second period as Emil Lilleberg took a double-minor high-sticking penalty. They didn’t record any shots on net, but both teams had good chances off the rush. The power play has yet to capitalize this month.
Fedotov was pulled with 2:03 left in the third period in favor of the extra attacker with only being down by one. Unfortunately, Sean Couturier took a double-minor high-sticking penalty at the 18:13 mark of the third period, which gave the Lightning their third and fourth power play.
The Lightning took advantage of a Flyers turnover and Guentzel scored an empty-net goal at the 18:30 mark of the third period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead. Kucherov stole the puck and passed it to Guentzel. It was deflected but still went in. Kucherov and Brayden Point collected assists.
The Flyers went zero for five on the power play but managed to kill off three of the four Lightning man advantages.
Fedotov stood on his head all game long to keep his team in it. He saved 21 of 22 shots, giving him a .955 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
Kucherov (29) Assists: none
2nd Period:
None
3rd Period:
Guentzel (33) (Power Play) Assists: Kucherov (66), Point (34)
Flyers Next Game
Flyers next game is Thursday, Mar 20, in Washington against the Capitals.
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