Wrap: Flyers Blown Out, 6-2, in Dallas
The Flyers battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the second period but went on to suffer a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of the Dallas Stars on Tuesday at the American Airlines Center. Dallas clinched a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
Philly found itself trailing 2-0 within the first 4:14 of the game and, although they got better as the period went along, exited the frame with a two-goal deficit. The Flyers dominated much of the second period and made it a new hockey game as they pulled even. However, two late period Dallas goals put the Flyers right back in a two-goal hole. In the third period, the Flyers got in penalty trouble. Eventually the Stars pulled away.
Alexander Radulov scored on the power play and even strength (28th and 29th of the season) and also collected two assists for a four-point game. Es Lindell had a between-the-legs power play deflection goal (11th) and an even strength assist. Jason Dickinson (6th), Tyler Pitlick (7th) and Blake Comeau (7th) rounded out the scoring.
Anton Khudobin had a solid game in goal for the Stars, authoring several key saves among 32 stops on 34 shots.
Oskar Lindblom (15th) cleaned up in front on a power move to the net by Nolan Patrick (18th assist) to get the Flyers on the board early in the second period. Shayne Gostisbehere (power play 9th) scored on a blast from the point through traffic, assisted by Claude Giroux (61st) and Jakub Voracek (45th).
Cam Talbot had a very uneven game in goal for the Flyers. He was not at fault for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th Dallas goals but the first one (just 1:34 into the game by Dickinson) was stoppable and the 5th one (a short-side goal off the goalie's stick by Comeau) ended any chance of another comeback push for the Flyers. Overall, he stopped 24 of 30 shots, and there were some good saves along the way but not nearly enough of them.
The Flyers went 1-for-4 on the power play, and 4-for-6 on the PK. Interim head coach Scott Gordon took particular exception to a bench minor penalty assessed on the Flyers in the third period when a player on the Philly bench complained of being slashed.
It took only 1:34 for the Starts to open the scoring. The Flyer turned the puck over in the neutral zone, Dallas countered and Jason Dickinson wired a shot home to the long side off a feed from Tyler Seguin. Alexander Radulov got the secondary assist.
At 4:14, Dallas converted on their first power play, and second shot of the game. Esa Lindell was wide open in the slot and made a nifty between-the-legs deflection as Mats Zuccarello put the puck toward the net.
First period shots ended up 9-5 in the Flyers' favor. Not included in the totals were a crossbar hit by the Flyers and a goal post by Dallas. Cam Talbot made one save off his mask. Anton Khudobin's best save was on a point-blank chance for Travis Sanheim at 7:44.
The second period was a dominant one for the Flyers, at least until the latter stages. Khudobin sealed off everything to deny van Riemsdyk at the side of the net just 13 seconds into the second period. However, the Flyers broke through on their next opportunity. Nolan Patrick took the puck hard to the net -- something he needs to do more consistently come next season -- and Oskar Lindblom cleaned up in front to make it 2-1 at 1:13. The Flyers had a near goal disallowed moments later at 1:41 due to a too-hasty whistle by the referee before the puck crossed the goal line.
A few minutes later, Couturier partially flubbed on a potential slam-dunk shot from point-blank range off a cross-crease pass by Shayne Gostisbehere. He put it off the side of the net. JVR then had two cracks at the puck in front but Khudobin was there to make the save. Later Khudobin made a 10-bell save on Giroux but the Flyers got a power play as Radek Faksa hooked Voracek on the initial set up. On the ensuing power play, Ghost ripped home a point shot through traffic to tie the game at 2-2 at the 11:33 mark of the second period.
With Nolan Patrick in the box for interference, the Stars retook the lead at 16:49. Seguin's pass through the box got across to Radulov, who scored a PPG on a nice backhanded chip upstairs. Dallas forged ahead again, 3-2.
A risky play at the blueline on a power play entry attempt by Voracek forced Gostisbehere to take a penalty. On the ensuing 4-on-4, the Flyers coverage broke down and Tyler Pitlick scored on the back end of a tic-tac-toe sequence to restore Dallas' two-goal lead.
An increasingly frustrated and disheartened Flyers team got crushed in a lopsided third period that saw Dallas pepper Talbot with 17 shots and Philly (which ended up with 10) need seven minutes for their first; partially due to penalties. Philly took a pair of early third period penalties including a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Finally, the Stars blew the game open on an ugly-looking short-side goal by Comeau off Talbot's stick. A mere 10 seconds later, a bad play by Robert Hà¤gg and a wide-open chance for Radulov from point blank range made it a 6-2 blowout.
The Flyers travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues on Thursday in the final road game of the season. The club will practice in St. Louis on Wednesday.