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Wrapup: Another Point Slips Away in 3-2 SO Loss in Montreal

February 19, 2016, 11:49 PM ET [14 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Winners of just two of their last eight games (2-3-3), the Philadelphia Flyers settled for one point yet again as they dropped a 3-2 road shootout decision to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night. For a team facing an uphill climb in the playoff chase and playing a Canadiens club that has been in free fall since December, that result was not good enough.

Montreal took a 1-0 lead at 2:56 of the first period as an attempted pass out by Dale Weise deflected off Nick Schultz in front of the net and went past a helpless Michal Neuvirth. Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban received the assists.

A mere eight seconds later, the Flyers tied the game.

Nick Cousins carried the puck up the left wall and wristed a well-placed -- but stoppable -- shot from the half boards that beat an unscreened Mike Condon high to the long side. The goal was Cousins third of the year and the second in as many games. The assists went to R.J. Umberger and Evgeny Medvedev.

That is where the score stayed until the third period. The Flyers had a 12-11 shot edge in the second period but also had 11 attempts blocked by the Habs.

Finally, at 3:15 of the third period, the Flyers forged ahead. After a strong keep, Scott Laughton moved the puck up the wall and over to Shayne Gostisbehere. Spotting Michael Raffl getting open near the left post, Gostisbehere threaded a gorgeous tape-to-tape pass across the ice to Raffl. The Austrian forward re-directed the puck home before Condon could get over to cover.

The assist extended Gostisbehere's point streak to 14 straight games; the second longest in the NHL this season and, by three games, the longest streak in NHL history for a rookie defenseman and the top rookie streak by any player in Flyers' franchise history.

The Flyers have had problems closing out games in the third period this season. Once again, they were unable slam the door. Claude Giroux, who took three minor penalties in the game, visited the sin bin yet again.

After going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, the Flyers were unable to kill off a fourth Habs power play. Trying to look around a Lars Eller screen, Neuvirth got a piece -- but not enough -- of a Max Pacioretty shot from a right side angle. Subban and Weise got the helpers.

Late in regulation, Giroux was felled by what seemed to be a high elbow by Subban. The Flyers captain left the ice slowly but stayed in to finish the game. No penalty was called on the play.
The game went to overtime with the Flyers (who went 0-for-3 on the power play) leading 34-28 in shots through regulation.

The 3-on-3 OT frame was frenetic, with both teams having several outstanding scoring chances. Moments after Neuvirth made a game-saving stop, Brayden Schenn hit the post on a breakaway as he moved to his right and went to the backhand against Condon. Moments later, the Habs goalie stopped Pierre-Edouard Bellemare from prime shooting range in the left slot.

The Habs, who had the better of puck possession overall in the OT, then had a flurry of chances. With players from both sides converging around the net, Gostisbehere momentarily played emergency goaltender as a flipping and flopping -- and momentarily turned around and facing the net from the seat of his pants -- Neuvirth tried to recover his bearings and find the puck and then made a miraculous recovery save.

Play swung the other way. Gostisbehere had just enough energy left to nearly score the game winning goal but was denied from the left slot by Condon. Shots ended up 3-3 in OT.

In the skills competition, the Flyers had multiple opportunities to win the game after neither team scored in the first round and Cousins scored the lone goal of the second round to go 2-for-2 in shootouts in his young NHL career.

The Flyers need either a third round save by Neuvirth on Pacioretty or a third-round conversion by Wayne Simmonds. Instead, Pacioretty picked the top corner over Neuvirth after electing to shootquickly from the slot. Simmonds failed on a five-hole attempt from the slot.

Philly had another chance to win in round four after Neuvirth made a successful diving poke check on Eller. Voracek was unable to deliver, aiming five-hole as he cut in through the right circle.

In round five, Paul Byron scored an almost identical goal to Pacioretty's. The game ended as Condon denied Schenn's forehand wrist shot.

Neuvirth finished with 29 saves on 31 shots in regulation and overtime and then stopped three of five shootout attempts. Condon had 35 saves on 37 shots during the hockey game and stopped four of five in the skills competition.

The Flyers are in Toronto on Saturday to take on the Maple Leafs. Steve Mason will be back in goal after Neuvirth played the last two games.
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