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Wrap:Flyers Fail to Close Out Boston, Lose 4-3 in OT |
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A brutal first 12 minutes, a solid next 40, a parade of latter third period penalties and an inability to contain the Boston Bruins' scorching-hot power play doomed the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 overtime loss at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night. The Flyers led 3-1 heading into the final 8:05 of the game.
Closeouts have been a major problem for the Flyers early this season. They've gotten away twice with coughing up two-goal leads to the New York Islanders, rescuing wins in OT. They haven't gotten away with it against Boston, who forced the Flyers to settle for one point via shootout and this overtime defeat.
David Pastrnak netted a hat trick (his third, fourth and fifth goals of the season) in regulation -- the first coming at the 12-second mark of the first period and the third 19:45 of the third -- and then assisted on a 4-on-3 overtime power play goal by Patrice Bergeron (6th). Kevin Hayes (6th), Jakub Voracek (3rd) and Joel Farabee (6th) scored in regulation for the Flyers.
Carter Hart deserved a much better fate on this night, as he was very sharp but had no chance to stop any of the four goals he allowed on 35 shots. Tuuka Rask earned the win with 22 saves on 25 shots.
Boston went 3-for-4 on the power play. The Flyers went 0-for-2.
The first 12 minutes or so of the first period were atrocious for the Flyers: a parade of turnovers, poor passing and stationary feet. It took 12 seconds for the Bruins to score as Pastrnak beat Shayne Gostisbehere off the rush and shoveled the puck at the net, which bounced off Ivan Provorov and into the net. The assists went to Charlie Coyle and Patrice Bergeron.
The Flyers play picked up significantly over the latter half of the opening period. The second period was evenly played. Hart made a huge stop when he denied Sean Kuraly on a shorthanded breakaway. Not long thereafter, an extended cycle by the Kevin Hayes line resulted in an eventual Hayes goal at 15:29 on the back end of a gorgeous passing sequence between Phil Myers, Travis Sanheim and the goal-scorer.
The third period saw the Flyers play well at 5-on-5 until self-destructing with a series of penalties that the Bruins cashed in on the power play. First, however, Philly built a 3-1 lead.
At 1:03, after James van Riemsdyk forced a turnover, Philly got some puck luck as the puck bounced around and went to Voracek in point-blank range. The assists went to Sanheim and Nolan Patrick.
At 8:41, the Flyers extended the lead to two goals. JVR sprung Scott Laughton and Farabee on a 2-on-1, and Farabee buried a scorching one-timer from the right slot.
Nicolas-Aube Kubel took a careless penalty at 11:55 for closing his hand on the puck. A mere 10 seconds later, Bergeron set up Pastrnak in point blank range. "Pasta" didn't miss.
At 14:17, Boston's Jeremy Lauzon was called for holding Michael Raffl behind the Boston net. This was a golden chance for the Flyers to re-establish a two-goal lead and put a stranglehold on the game, but the Flyers couldn't convert.
With 2:01 left in the game, Hayes was called for a marginal hooking penalty along the right side boards in the Boston zone. Rask was soon pulled for an extra attacker. The Flyers PK had a good force at the defensive blueline and the Bruins went off-side; the touch-up could have been called an intentional offside (which would have brought the faceoff back to the Boston zone) but was not.
At 19:45, it was Boston's turn again for some puck luck. Lindblom blocked a shot and it bounced off Brad Marchand's pants to an open Pastrnak on the other side. The result was a slam dunk.
With seven seconds left, Laughton's stationary feet caused him to take an interference penalty. The Flyers lost the ensuing faceoff but held on long enough to get the game to overtime and claim a point. At the 31-second mark of OT, the Bruins' 4-on-3 power play ended the game as Pastrnak go the puck to the net and Bergeron scored from close range. David Krejci got the secondary assist.
Thursday is an off-day for the Flyers. They will rematch with the Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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