|
Flyers Gameday: 2-27-09 vs. Habs |
|
|
|
|
|
OT synopsis
At the 43-second mark of the extra frame, Niittymaki made a clutch stop on countryman Saku Koivu.
At 2:05, the Flyers turn the puck over and Niitty has to stop an Andrei Kostitsyn drive.
Scottie Upshall receives a garbage penalty for interference with the goaltender as he breaks in on the net and bumps into Halak at 2:21 as he follows through on a shot on goal.
3rd period synopsis
The Flyers kill off the Carter penalty.
Scott Hartnell goes down in a heap in the neutral zone and can barely get over the boards. He appears to favoring a foot, but returned to the ice.
Powerplay #8 for the Flyers as Andrei Markov goes off for hooking Mike Richards at 9:18. As the penalty expired, Andrei Markov stepped out of the box and received a pass to go off on a breakaway. For the second time in the game, Niittymaki saved the day with a big stop on a home-free shooter.
Niittymaki, who earlier got hit in the mask with a shot, has to don a white mask while the other was off for repairs.
Matthew Carle battles Christopher Higgins behind the net and receives a hooking penalty at 14:30. Gagne uses his speed to create a shorthanded counterattack but the Habs recover enough to force him into a long-distance shot that goes high and wide of the long side. Later, Knuble and Carter generate a 2-on-1 rush.
Montreal ended up outshooting the Flyers in the third period, 12-8.
2nd period synopsis
Early in the middle stanza, the Flyers wasted a golden opportunity to tie the game and regain momentum. A lengthy 5-on-3 power play went by the wayside, as Richards and Claude Giroux could not find the mark on scoring chance.
The Flyers went back to the man advantage at 8:58 after Maxim Lapierre went off for slashing. Before the next faceoff, Joffrey Lupul and Mike Komisarek were also dispatched for high sticking. Once again the Flyers were unable to convert.
The gentlemanly Simon Gagne received a rare unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at 11:10. The Flyers killed it off.
Flyers 3 - Canadiens 3: Shortly after Gagne emerged from the box, he sped off on a breakaway. Gagne moved east-to-west on his forehand. Halak made the initial stop but Gagne forced the puck over the line at 13:43.
On the next shift, the Flyers create a neutral zone turnover and broke in on a three-on-one rush. Halak made stops on Arron Asham and Scottie Upshall to keep the score tied.
At 17:18, Gregory Stewart took a needless high sticking penalty in the neutral zone. The Flyers get a 35-second 5-on-3 advantage at 18:43 when Hamrlik took a high skicking penalty of his own. The Flyers once again could not turn it into a goal, and Carter canceled out any carryover time with a slashing penalty at the 19:59 mark.
1st period synopsis
Glen Metropolit skated the game's first shift for Montreal, with Stewart and Kovalev on his wings.
Flyers 1 - Canadiens 0: The Flyers went to the attack immediately after the opening faceoff. The Jeff Carter line generated a flurry of chances in front of the Canadiens’ net. Finally, Joffrey Lupul put the puck upstairs over Jaroslav Halak at the 0:28 mark for his 18th goal of the season. Scott Hartnell and Carter drew the assists.
Metropolit takes an offensive zone high sticking minor at 3:26. The Flyers fail to capitalize. As Metropolit emerges from the box, he goes off on a breakaway against Niittymaki. The goalie robs him with the glove.
Niitty makes a tough stop on Matt D'Agostini at the 7:57 mark.
Flyers 2 - Canadiens 0: After a blocked shot, Roman Hamrlik turns the puck over to Mike Richards in the right circle. The Flyers capain snaps his 24th goal of the season past Halak at 8:14. Unassisted goal.
Niittymaki denies Tom Kostopoulos' backhanded try in close at the 10:30 mark.
Halak makes his best save of the period, stopping Simon Gagne from point blank range.
The Flyers go back to the powerplay as Mike Komisarek trips up Jared Ross on a rush down the boards at 14:12. At 16:02, Coburn goes off for hooking as he battles along the boards. Montreal capitalizes on the subsequent powerplay.
Flyers 2 - Canandiens 1: Tomas Plekanec sktes in through the traffic and snaps a shot over Niittymaki at 16:25. Assists to Schneider and Kovalev.
Flyers 2 - Canadiens 2: The Habs quickly tie it. Andrew Alberts turns the puck over to Kostopoulous, who puts a side angle shot past Niitymaki at 16:38. Niittymaki got a stick on it, but the puck went over the line before he ejected it from the crease.
Update (3:40 PM)
The Flyers have recalled Jared Ross for this game. Antero Niittymaki will start in goal. The lineup has been updated below.
Abbreviated preview (12:45 PM)
The Flyers (33-17-9) will look to continue their winning ways tonight when they take on a turmoil-laden Canadiens (32-22-7) in a rare Friday night game the Wachovia Center. Heading into a Sunday showdown with the New Jersey Devils, the Flyers have a chance to make up some ground in the Atlantic Division if they win the next two games.
Tonight's tilt marks the fourth and final game of the season series with Montreal. The Habs have taken both games in Montreal, with the Flyers winning 2-1 at the Wachovia Center back in November. It's no secret that the Habs have been surrounded by turmoil as of late, but the club has won it's last two games and remain on the Flyers' heels for a home-ice seeding (i.e., fourth in the Eastern Conference) in the first round of the playoffs.
Daniel Briere will not be in the lineup tonight, and flu-riddled Kimmo Timonen seems unlikely to play. With Glen Metropolit claimed off waivers by the Habs and Ossi Väänänen claimed by Vancouver, the Flyers will start Lasse Kukkonen on the blueline tonight and call someone up from the Phantoms (Jared Ross?) to get a full compliment of forwards dressed.
Flyers lineup (subject to change)
Gagne - Richards - Knuble
Hartnell - Carter - Lupul
Upshall - Giroux - Powe
Cote - Ross - Asham
Coburn - Carle
Jones - Parent
Alberts - Kukkonen
Niittymäki
[Biron]
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
Join the Discussion:
»