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Wrap: Flyers Collect Vital 2-1 SO Win vs. FLA

March 2, 2017, 10:28 PM ET [169 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Wrapup: Flyers Collect Vital 2-1 Shootout Win vs. Panthers

Desperately in need of a win to chip away at their deficit in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, the Philadelphia Flyers pulled out a 2-1 win via shootout in a thrilling seesaw affair at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night.

With the win, the Flyers awaited the outcome of the Toronto Maple Leafs' game at the Staples Center against the LA Kings. Temporarily, the Flyers moved back within two points of the lower wildcard seed. The Leafs ultimately gained a point in a shootout loss, putting the Flyers three points off the pace and moving the Islanders (5-4 winners against the Dallas Stars on Thursday) into the wildcard spot based on both New York and Toronto having 70 points but the Islanders holding one game in hand.

"We’ve got to go game-by-game here. We are two points out right now. Every game is huge for us. We did it last year, but last year is last year. We’ve got to be focused on this year. Obviously we are confident and we are one year older than we were last year," Jakub Voracek said.

"I think today was a very tough game to be patient knowing when you’re battling for playoffs. Florida was right ahead of us. They’re down one I think 10 minutes left in the game. That’s a big comeback win.”

Coming off a 33-save shutout in his last outing against the Colorado Avalanche, Steve Mason turned back 39 of 40 shots in regulation and overtime and then stopped two of three in the skills competition. The only pucks to get past him were a perfectly placed Aaron Ekblad shorthanded goal in the second period and an even filthier shootout tally by Aleksander Barkov.

“The game feels pretty good. Anytime you’re off for an extended period of time, you really get an opportunity to work on some things. Earlier in the year, I was playing every night and that kind of wears you down a little bit. Your game gets a little sloppy," Mason said.

"When Neuvy was going on that little stretch there, it gave me the opportunity to put some extra work in. I’m not getting ahead of myself or anything, but I feel good. Just have to focus on the next start."

The Flyers' impending unrestricted free agent goaltender, who has not been offered a new contract whereas Neuvirth was re-signed on Wednesday to a discounted two-year contract extension, admitted that he had been nervous about the possibility of getting traded at the deadline.

"Come 3:30 yesterday, it was a big sense of relief. The trade deadline is not fun for anybody involved. It’s a stressful time for players, more importantly I think their families as well," said Mason, who is the father of an infant daughter.

"I'm happy it’s over. We realize this is our group and we understand the task that is ahead of us in order to make the playoffs. We just have to keep moving, finding ways to win. Tonight took 65-plus and I’m sure we’re going to be in for a real tough one in a couple days here.”

Making his Flyers debut, Valterri Filppula stepped up to score a game-tying goal in the third period to force overtime. Centering a line with Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek, the Finnish veteran had three shots on goal and won eight of 14 faceoffs (57 percent) in 15:12 of ice time over 21 shifts. In the shootout, Jordan Weal and Voracek converted their chances.

"You’d like to have a little bit of time to talk about and have a couple of practices but it feels good now when we won so everything’s good," Filppula said in describing his first game after being traded to the team on Wednesday afternoon.

Describing his goal off a feed from Schenn, Filppula deflected credit to his linemate.

"It was a really good pass. I was just trying to go to the net and it just hit my stick and happy to see it went in but definitely a really nice play by him. ... Hopefully I can score a few more in this uniform but definitely doesn’t happen too often for me so I thought it was nice.”

Roberto Luongo made the start in goal for Florida, stopping all 13 shots he saw in the first period before leaving with a lower-body injury. James Reimer entered to start the second period. Reimer turned back 35 of 36 shots in 45 minutes of regulation and overtime duty before getting beaten on two of three shootout attempts.

Flyers captain Claude Giroux, guilty of a bad turnover and then caught flat-footed attempting to check Ekblad, blamed himself solely for the lone Florida goal.

I thought Schenn was open and then I played that wrong defensively, it’s frustrating. I’m pissed off and I have to be better and the team played a great 55 minute game and personally I gave Florida a point so it’s frustrating and I have to be better," Giroux said.

"But you know what? The guys battled back and the way we played tonight was great if we play like that we’re going to win a lot of games so we have to stay together in the room here and we had fun tonight so that’s one of the reasons why we came back I think.”

The Flyers were dominated in the faceoff circle during the first and much of the second period but rallied back to finish at a respectable 47 percent for the game. Ivan Provorov led the Flyers with 24:23 of ice time (four shots on goal on six attempts, one credited hit, two blocks, one giveaway). The Flyers went 0-for-4 on the power play (including a failed 5-on-3) but 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

“There are different momentum swings to this game. We really liked our first 30 minutes. The last 10 minutes of the second period we just couldn’t get going, and we were not doing the things we do well," Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol said.

"They were skating and pressuring us and we didn’t handle that well to get the puck into their zone very much but the third period it’s a close period. Not a whole lot happening. Those guys go out and make a play. That is a play that we needed. That’s the type of hockey that it is around this time of year. It is tight and you got to stay with it and our guys did that.”

1ST PERIOD

Jordan Weal was called for tripping at the 1:10 mark. Florida quickly went on the game's first power play. Mason stopped a point blast by Keith Yandle early on the kill. Chris VandeVelde pressured a turnover, leading to an easy clear for Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Radko Gudas made a tougher clear on the next foray. Mason then stopped a point shot with the blocker and gloved a mid-slot shot cleanly.

Shots were 3-0 as the Flyers' net was knocked off its moorings by the Panthers at 3:26.

Shayne Gostisbehere got the Flyers' first shot -- a routine blast from the point -- after a nice carry up the ice moments earlier. Jordan Weal went to the net on the next shift for a tougher save by Luongo and then, on a three-way passing sequence, snapped an end-of-shift shot on goal from the left circle.

Mason kept the game scoreless with a good stop on Nick Bjugstad on a 2-on-1 down low. At the other end, Giroux missed the net on an open chance form the left slot.

Bellemare drew a high sticking penalty on Michael Matheson on a rush by the Flyers' fourth line. Philly went on the power play for the first time at 8:45. The Flyers' top power unit generated excellent puck movement, heavy pressure and several good looks at the net but some rebound chances proved elusive near the net.

With Philly continuing to press the forecheck, Florida went back on the power play at 11:10 on a careless high stick by Cousins that caught Yandle in the face behind the Panthers net.

Mason fought off a Yandle center point shot through traffic and poked away the rebound. He then stopped Aleksander Barkov on a drive to the net as the Florida forward drive to the net. A third save came on an Aaron Ekblad point blast. The Flyers missed a clearing opportunity but Mason covered a bouncing puck near the side of the net. Philly won the ensuing draw and cleared the puck.

Brayden Schenn was grabbed and spun around (and down) by Demers near the defensive blueline for a holding penalty and Flyers power play at 13:37. Florida was forced to take a penalty -- a Vincent Trocheck hook at 14:32 --- to prevent a slam dunk for Schenn. Philly got a 1:05 two-man advantage.

During the 5-on-3, the Flyers were far too stationary. Luongo stopped a Gostisbehere on a wrister from near the left hash marks. Simmonds generated a routine side-angle shot. Play moved to 5-on-4, with the Flyers wasting the opportunity.

Philly applied some late forechecking pressure. In the waning seconds of the period, Luongo came out to challenge a shot by Filppula from above the circles. He made a clean save.

First period shots were 13-11 in the Flyers' favor. Florida blocked 10 Flyers shot attempts. The Panthers won 10 of 13 faceoffs in the opening stanza including four of four by Barkov. Claude Giroux won just two of seven.

2ND PERIOD

Luongo suffered a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return for the second period. Reimer took over in goal. He was tested immediately with a flurry of chances around the net by Ivan Provorov and Cousins before finally covering for a stoppage.

The Filppula line hustled up a scoring chance and traffic, with Voracek feeding Nick Schultz for a point shot but Reimer tracked the puck through the maze. At 2:51, Florida went offside on a would-be 3-on-2 rush.

Philly had the first seven shots of the period through five minutes, as well as several big hits. At 5:30, Simmonds deflected a shot past Reimer but the puck trickled wide of the long side. Moments later, Reimer stoned Schenn from in close. Shots were now 10-0 through 6:29. Mason stopped a side angle shot off the next faceoff for his first save of the period.

A Provorov giveaway behind the net gave the Panthers their first down-low pressure of the second period but no harm resulted.

Weal made a nice defensive play covering for Michael Del Zotto and taking a man off the puck behind the Flyers net.

Starting to generate some momentum, the Panthers had a second flurry of chances in close to Mason before stoppage. The Panthers then won the next draw and Mason came up cleanly with an Ekblad shot through traffic with two attackers ready to pounce on any rebound. Florida won the draw again for a somewhat similar sequence until Philly finally gained possession and skated the puck to safety. Shots were now 10-8.

A giveaway by the Flyers turned into a bang-bang shot for Thomas Vanek. Mason made his ninth save of the period.

At 10:55, Voracek got clipped by a Matheson high stick behind the Florida net. Philly went to its fourth power play. A sloppy Giroux turnover and weak stick checking by the Flyers' captain allowed Ekblad to work his way into the right slot and send a filthy-looking snap shot inside the long-side post for a shorthanded goal (unassisted) at 11:34. It was Ekblad's ninth goal of the season. Florida took a 1-0 lead on their 21st shot of the game.

Fed by Voracek, Read was denied from the right circle by Reimer's 12th save of the period.

Florida had won 70 percent of the faceoffs in the game until a defensive zone win by Filppula (who had been 0-for-5). But the Flyers' Schenn turned the puck over and Mason had to be sharp to stop chances for Vanek and Trocheck. Giroux then won the next defensive zone draw.

Matheson worked through stick checking on a pinch up the left side. Mason blockered away his shot for his 13th save of the period and 25th of the game. With time ticking down near the final minute, Mason made a pad save on a pinching Ekblad.

A ruckus -- started by Jaromir Jagr taking an extra poke at Mason and a pop after the whistle at Del Zotto -- ensued after save by Mason on Trocheck. Jagr (roughing), Del Zotto (roughing), Gudas (roughing) and Alex Petrovic (roughing) all went to the box.

Second period shots were 17-13 in Florida's favor (28-26 in the Panthers' favor overall).

3RD PERIOD

The Flyers iced the puck in the opening five seconds of the third period after winning the neutral zone faceoff. Couturier won a second draw in the defensive zone and the Flyers broke broke out. At the other end, Couturier whiffed on a followup attempt on an initial chance created by Cousins.

Mason made his first save of the third period on a Demers point blast at 1:34.

Mason, scrambling and thrashing, thwarted a chance in front and veteran enforcer Shawn Thornton was unable to finish it off. The score remained 1-0.

Giroux intercepted a puck inside the offensive blueline and fed Simmonds for a chance from the right slot that was partially blocked and went wide of the net.

Mason went down awkwardly gloving a side angle shot as Reilly Smith fell on top of his legs. Trainer Jim McCrossin came out but Mason shook it off and seemed OK.

Ivan Provorov missed an initial hit attempt in the defensive corner on Reilly Smith but partner Andrew MacDonald followed in to finish the hit. On the next shift, Mason kept Florida at bay as they crashed the net again.

Reimer denied a hard-working Lyubimov as he battled his way near the right post but had only a very flat shooting angle.

With Thornton right in his face, Mason stopped a mid-right slot shot for his fourth save of the third period (shots tied 4-4) and a TV timeout at 8:31.

Read alertly followed a bouncing puck to the net on a dump-in, forcing Reimer to hold for a stoppage. But Giroux lost the ensuing right circle faceoff, and the Panthers broke out cleanly.

Philly knotted the game at 10:38 . Collecting a turnover near the blueline, Voracek weaved up high and passed to Schenn. Filppula went to the net, took the pass as he got checked, and scored his first goal as a Flyer and eighth of the season.

Winning a defensive zone faceoff, the Giroux line broke out 3-on-2 with tremendous speed. Reimer stopped the puck in front, though, and pushing and shoving ensued after the whistle. No penalties were called.

Filppula's line broke out on an odd-man rush. The center's pass for Voracek was broken up but the Flyers regained. Fed by Voracek in the slot, Filppula was not able to finish off his bid for a second goal. At a TV timeout with 5:22 left in regulation, third period shots were 10-6 in Philly's favor (36-34 in Philly's favor overall).

Giroux took the ensuing left circle faceoff against Trocheck.The Panthers won the draw but failed to clear. Reimer swallowed up a routine and unscreened Gudas flip shot from the right point. The Couturier line came out and won the ensuing right circle draw, generating some pressure. Provorov got caught on a pinch but all the tired Panthers could do was go off on a line change. The Flyers resumed the attack.

Mason cleanly gloved a scorching but unscreened Ekblad point shot with 2:28 left in the period. Bellemare took and won the ensuing draw. It took the Flyers two clearing opportunities but they worked the puck to safety.

With 2:10 left, Couturier took a right circle offensive faceoff and won it. Philly pressured but and generated their 40th shot on goal of the game but Reimer kept them at bay.

Voracek had the game on his stick on a wide-open point blank chance in front of the net. Reimer stoned him.

With 28.5 seconds left, Weal crashed the net looking to poke the puck loose on a second-chance opportunity off a MacDonald shot. A scrum ensued after the whistle again.

With 18.2 seconds left, Barkov barreled down the slot with a great look at the net as he received a pass in stride. Mason robbed him with the glove. Couturier broke his stick on the ensuing faceoff. The puck stayed occupied on the boards for the remainder of regulation.

Shots in the third period were 16-6 in the Flyers' favor (44-36 overall in the Flyers' favor).

OVERTIME

The trio of Couturier, Simmonds and Provorov started out the three-on-three against Barkov, Huberdeau and Yandle. The trio of Giroux, Voracek (who got taken down without a call) and Gostisbehere followed.

Mason made a stop on Nick Bjugstad in close and then a save on an Ekblad trickler. Mason stopped a side angle Matheson attempt on the next shift. After a Voracek neutral zone turnover, Mason stopped Huberdeau.

Voracek was sprung home free by Giroux but Reimer stopped his initial and follow-up tries. Forty seconds remained on the clock. Reimer then made stops on Gostisbehere (set up by Filppula) and Schenn.

Overtime shots were 5-4 in the Flyers' favor (49-40 total).

SHOOTOUT

Jordan Weal shot first, moving in slowly, going right and wristing a shot over Reimer.

Trocheck's five-hole attempt on the backhand was sealed off in the bottom of the first round.

Giroux was stuffed trying to move left on the backhand.

Barkov made two changes of direction and scored on a nasty backhander.

Voracek cut in from the right side and beat Reimer five hole.

Huberdeau ran out of room moving left and Mason ended up with an easy blocker save to provide Philly a much-needed bonus point.




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