Wrap: Flyers Drop Shootout in Montreal, 3-2
The Philadelphia Flyers were unable to secure a victory in Montreal on Thursday night and settled for a single point from an unsatisfying 3-2 (1-0) shootout loss at the Bell Centre. Jonathan Drouin scored the only goal of the three-round shootout. The Flyers led 3-2 in the third period but could not close it out.
The Flyers' role players and goaltender Carter Hart did their jobs well in this game. The Flyers needed more from the top end of their lineup against what has been a massively struggling Habs team. A terrible first period from the Flyers, a tying Canadiens goal from self-made puck luck, a failed 4-on-3 Flyers power play in overtime and their ongoing skills competition futility prevented Philadelphia from extending a winning streak to four games.
Artturi Lehkonen (5th goal of the season) notched a deflection goal to give the Canadiens an early 1-0 lead. The Flyers were downright lucky that it was the only Montreal goal in a lopsided first period.
The first couple shifts of the second period also were tilted the wrong way. That is, until Max WIllman (2nd) tied the score at 1-1 early in the second period. In the final minute of the frame, Jackson Cates (1st career NHL goal) gave the Flyers the lead.
For much of the third period, the Flyers did a good job of protecting the narrow lead and making the Canadiens work to get up ice. Finally, Laurent Dauphin (1st) knotted the score at 2-2 off a broken play with 5:39 remaining in regulation. It started with Sean Couturier losing a defensive zone faceoff cleanly. Travis Sanheim blocked a shot from Montreal defensemen Ben Chiarot and the puck took a Habs-friendly bounce to where Dauphin could stash it home to force overtime.
Couturier drew a Flyers power play on the first shift of overtime. On the ensuing 4-on-3 against the NHL's 31st-ranked penalty kill, the Flyers were unable to create a single Grade A scoring chance. Ultimately, the game went to a shootout.
1st round: Drouin scored upstairs glove-side on Hart. Couturier was denied by Primeau's blocker on a low shot.
2nd round: Cole Caufield did a lot of stickhandling but couldn't find the same spot as Drouin. Claude Giroux couldn't get Primeau to commit and finally fired a shot into the pads.
3rd round: Hart made a right pad save on Mike Hoffman. Cam Atkinson made a move to the right post where he was unable to force the puck past Primeau's skate. Primeau was shaken up on the play but eventually went off under his own power.
Hart kept his team in the game all night and deserved a better fate. He stopped 38 of 40 shots in the first 65 minutes and then went 2-for-3 in the shootout. Primeau, recalled earlier in the day, denied 37 of 39 Flyers shots in regulation and overtime. He was a perfect 3-for-3 in the shootout.
The Flyers went 0-for-2 on the power play, including the failed 4-on-3 in overtime. Philadelphia was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
By order of the local municipality, no spectators were admitted to the Bell Centre due to rising COVID-19 concerns in Montreal. The game played in front of empty stands.
The Flyers (11-12-5) will return to Philadelphia today. Tomorrow night, they will host the Ottawa Senators (9-17-1) at the Wells Fargo Center.
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Quick Hits: Dec. 17, 2021
1) The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (5-11-5) are scheduled to visit the Atlantic Division leading Hartford Wolf Pack (12-4-3) on Friday evening. Game time is 7 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on AHLTV (subscription required). On Sunday in Allentown, the Phantoms defeated the Wolf Pack via shootout, 4-3 (2-0), in one of the Phantoms best-played all-around games of what has been a struggling season overall.
2) Condolences to Peter Luukko, Nick Luukko and their family on the passing of Albert "King Al" Luukko at age 90; Peter's dad, Nick's granddad and a Korean War veteran.
3) Flyers Alumni 12 Days of Christmas giving
I wasn't able to cover Flyers practice yesterday in Voorhees because of a time conflict with the Alumni's donation presentation in Bucks County to the Sunshine Foundation on behalf of Madilyn. Some things take precedence over hockey. Things like this absolutely make your day! https://t.co/4Be91FXUhW
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) December 16, 2021