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Wrap: Flyers Lose in OT to Vegas, 2-1; Phantoms Beat Charlotte, 2-1 |
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Wrap: Flyers Lose in OT to Vegas, 2-1
The Philadelphia Flyers' ongoing inability to score goals cost them again in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday evening. The Flyers played a strong first period, drew even in a second period where they got a series of excellent saves, and then nursed the game to overtime after a clutch late penalty kill.
Ultimately, Philly fell to 0-5 in games decided beyond regulation. The Flyers had their share of good scoring chances -- a couple of 2-on-1s, a Joel Farabee breakaway in the third period, no fewer than four golden scoring chances (three for Zack MacEwen, one for Morgan Frost) that were set up by James van Riemsdyk and/or Frost over the first 30 minutes of game. Travis Sanheim had several good looks at the net. But all Philly mustered was a single fluky goal.
In overtime, Philly had the puck for most of the period while going with a 1F/2D rotation of lines. Golden Knights benefitted from a generous whistle when Shea Theodore was down on the ice injured but Philly had puck possession. Subsequently, the Golden Knights were guilty of blatant too many men on the ice that was not called. Kevin Hayes turned a puck over to Marchessault on an attempted pass to Sanheim. Marchessault went off on a breakaway, elevating the puck into the net on the backhand at 3:21 of sudden death.
All three goals in the game were unassisted; not something you'll often see. William Carrier (9th goal of the season) scored 11:45 into the game for the lone goal of the first period. Scott Laughton (4th) tied the game at 1:47 of the second period with a fortuitous bank shot goal from behind the net. The third period was scoreless.
The Flyers were not awarded a single power play in the game. They should have at least one in regulation (Frost took an elbow to the mouth at one juncture and spit some blood after going back to the bench). The too many men non-call in OT was pretty galling from a Philadelphia standpoint because it was obvious, and Vegas scored on the next shift to end the game. Also, late in regulation, Noah Cates was called for a tripping minor in the offensive zone that was absolutely a penalty but, paired with two questionable non-calls in OT, was pretty frustrating.
On a positive note, the Flyers' PK stepped up strong twice against a potent Vegas power play. Taking only two minors in the game was also a benefit in and of itself after the Flyers have repeatedly put themselves in penalty trouble in a few recent games.
For an in-depth period-by-period synopsis, stats, analysis and more from the game, see the Postgame 5 on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.
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Phantoms Beat Charlotte, 2-1
In the front end of back-to-back games against the Charlotte Checkers at the PPL Center in Allentown, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms defeated the Charlotte Checkers by 2-1 score in regulation. A 29-save performance by Samuel Ersson -- including a late first period penalty shot denial of former Phantoms/Flyers forward Gerry Mayhew-- and a 5-for-5 night on the penalty kill loomed large.
After Aleksi Heponiemi broke a scoreless deadlock at 7:58 of the second period, Artem Anisimov (3rd goal of the season) knotted the score at 14:44. With the Phantoms on a power play, Kieffer Bellows scored his first goal as a Phantom for what proved to be the game winner at 18:21 of the middle frame. Tyson Foerster collected secondary assists on both goals, with Olle Lycksell and Egor Zamula earning the respective primaries.
The Phantoms had to kill off two separate penalties in the latter half of the third period. Ersson, who made 14 saves in the first period, received strong support in the third period and came up with nine saves to help slam the door.
The same two teams will go at it again on Saturday.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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