Wrap: Flyers Pull off Late Comeback, Win Stadium Series, 4-3
In a game they absolutely could not afford to lose, the Philadelphia Flyers found themselves trailing the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, late it in the third period of the 2019 Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial Field. Philly rallied for a 6-on-4 power play goal and a 6-on-5 game-tier in the final 3:04 of regulation to force overtime and then won the game at 3-on-3.
Team captain Claude Giroux ended a four-game pointless spell in dramatic fashion, assisting on the first of the two late goals and then scoring the winning OT goal (18th) at 1:59 of the extra frame. Sean Couturier had a goal (25th) and an assist on the game-tying goal, while Jakub Voracek scored the goal (16th) that forced OT and assisted on the team's other two tallies. James van Riemsdyk's rebound power play goal (16th) got the team back within 3-2 at 16:56 of the third period.
Oskar Lindblom, apart from registering the primary assist (13th) on the Couturier goal, had a quietly effective game all-around. Nolan Patrick had a rough night in regulation but started the rush and earned the primary assist (12th) in the Giroux game winner, with defenseman Travis Sanheim receiving the secondary helper (19th).
Brian Elliott, apart from a misplay on the third Penguins goal, did everything that could have been hoped for in goal. stopping 40 of 43 shots to earn the win. Penguins counterpart Matt Murray was very good in net for the Penguins until giving up a flat angle goal by Voracek in the final 20 seconds of regulation. He was then beaten by Giroux in OT after the Pens controlled most of the early puck possession. Murray finished with 33 saves on 37 shots.
Sidney Crosby opened the scoring (26th goal) for Pittsburgh, cashing in a Voracek turnover. Justin Schultz scored through a screen to make it 2-1 in the second period, and played 30:02 of ice time. Evgeni Malkin's shot from high in the Flyers zone went off Elliott's glove, popped high in the air and then bounced in off the back of Elliott's skate.
The easily-goaded Malkin later allowed himself to get into a cross-checking battle with Flyers' defenseman Robert Hà¤gg at 14:51 of the third period, getting taken off the ice for two minutes and creating a 4-on-4, which became a Flyers power play after a Matt Cullen slashing penalty. That set the comeback wheels in motion for the Flyers.
The Flyers went 1-for-2 on the power play. For the second straight game, Philly did not have to kill a penalty.
The Penguins lost two defensemen to injury late in the first period. Wayne Simmonds rocked Brian Dumoulin with a heavy but clean shoulder-to-shoulder check inside the Pittsburgh zone and the Pittsburgh defender's head then hit the glass, concussing him. In the resulting tussles on the ice, Kris Letang got injured (upper body) while grappling with Shayne Gostisbehere. Pittsburgh had to play the rest of the game with only four defensemen.
With the win, the Flyers improved to 29-26-7 on the season. On a night when Carolina, Columbus and Buffalo all won their games ahead of the Stadium Series, Philly did not lose further ground in the playoff race, and remain seven points (not including a ROW tiebreaker disadvantage) behind Carolina in the chase for the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. Philly gained one point on the Penguins, who dropped below the playoff cutoff line via their own ROW tiebreaker disadvantage vs. the Canes.
Saturday's game was the Flyers' final one before the NHL trade deadline on Monday. In recognition of all he has meant to the team over his seven and three-quarters seasons in Philadelphia, Flyers players awarded Simmonds the Player of the Game helmet and embraced him the locker room.