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Wrap: Flyers Push Past Ottawa, 4-2; Phantoms Update |
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Wrap: Flyers Push Past Ottawa, 4-2
Two goals by rookie winger Tyson Foerster -- one at even strength directly off a faceoff and the other a penalty shot tally -- keyed a 4-2 win for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Ottawa Senators at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. With the win, the Flyers improved to 32-23-7 for the 2023-24 season.
The Flyers dominated the first period: 19-4 shot on goal edge, 31-11 shot attempt advantage, 17-5 edge in scoring chances (7-2 in high-danger chances). Even so, the Flyers managed only a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard at the first intermission courtesy of a Joel Farabee deflection goal early in the period. Philly had three separate power plays in the period and, although they applied very heavy pressure and had two prime scoring chances on the second power play, they were unable to score.
This can be a formula for a rough final 40 minutes. The Senators picked up their play considerably in the second period, both before and after Vladimir Tarasenko backhanded a short-side goal from the right circle past Felix Sandström. The Flyers eventually regained equilibrium but the game seemed destined to go to the third period deadlocked at 1-1.
That is, until Foerster scored directly off an offensive left circle faceoff win by Scott Laughton to restore the lead at 19:13 of the middle frame. At 19:58.5, Foerster was hooked on a partial breakaway by Shane Pinto and awarded a penalty shot. The sequence started with a fine defensive play by Foerster. To be honest, I was expecting a Flyers power play to start the third period, rather than a penalty shot. But it worked out well for Philadelphia.
On the ensuing penalty shot attempt, Foerster moved in patiently and beat Mads Sogaard low to the glove side for his second goal of the game overall to expand the lead to 3-1. Foerster's penalty shot goal was the fifth by the Flyers this season: a new NHL record. Philly is 5-for-5 on penalty shot opportunities.
The third period saw the Flyers called for several penalties: three full shorthanded situations
including a high-sticking double minor on Cam York plus an abbreviated kill following an atrociously bad call (slashing) against Farabee that canceled out Philly's fourth and final power play of the game. Most of the crowd though the Flyers were about to get a 5-on-3 power play, only to find out that Farabee was the one getting penalized.
With Sogaard pulled for an extra attacker, Thomas Chabot scored from the bottom the right circle to get the Senators back within 3-2 at 18:02. There were a couple of close calls as the Sens pulled Sogaard again and worked to force overtime. Finally, just before the final buzzer, York scored an empty net goal with 0.6 second on the clock.
Playing his first NHL game since the regular season finale last year, Sandström stepped up to deliver 24 saves on 26 shots, including several timely and difficult stops. He got a bit of help, too, from his goal posts and from 28 blocked shots in front of him.
With the win, the Flyers at least temporarily strengthened their hold on third place and bid automatic playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers will have a complete off-day on Sunday before hosting the St. Louis Blues at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday evening. This is where the Flyers stand relative to their closest pursuers:
* Five-point lead on the New York Islanders (three-game winning streak). The Islanders hold two games in hand. The Flyers hold a tiebreaker advantage (24 regulation wins to 18). One head-to-head game remaining (April 1 at home).
* Six-point lead on the Washington Capitals (6-2-2 in last 10 games). The Capitals have three games in hand. Flyers hold 24-22 ROW tiebreaker edge. There is one head-to-head game remaining on the final night of the regular season (April 16 at home).
* Seven-point lead on the New Jersey Devils (5-5-0 in last 10 games). The Devils hold two games in hand plus a 25-24 ROW tiebreaker edge. There is one head-to-head game remaining (April 13 at home).
* Nine-point lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins (back-to-back regulation losses). The Penguins hold four games in hand but face a very grueling slate of nine games in the next 15 nights including two games against the red-hot Edmonton Oilers, time-zone crossing travel and three sets of three-in-four guantlets including their current one. The Flyers hold a 24-22 ROW tiebreaker edge. There are no head-to-head games remaining.
*****
Phantoms Update: A Must-Win Game on Sunday
Entering this weekend and batting uphill for the sixth and final Calder Cup playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms were in dire need of as many points as they could get from a three-in-three gauntlet. Instead, the Phantoms find themselves in a must-win game on Sunday to salvage something from the weekend.
On Friday, the Phantoms played a decent game but couldn't finish off scoring chances as they went down to a 3-0 shutout road loss at the hands of the Utica Comets.
On Saturday at home against the lowly Bridgeport Islanders, the Phantoms got outplayed and needed 31 saves from backup goalie Parker Gahagen just to get the match to the third period tied at 1-1. A Cooper Marody power play goal (14th) with 5:34 remaining in the second period knotted the score. A nice set-up pass from Emil Andrae and finish by Marody gave the Phantoms life heading into the second intermission.
The third period was more evenly played. But a Matthew Maggio goal at 2:30 restored a one-goal lead for Bridgeport, and the Phantoms never pulled even again. A 39-save evening from Gahagen went to wate as the depleted Phantoms continued to struggle mightily for offense.
Wade Allison had a golden opportunity to re-tie the game in the closing seconds of the third period but was unable to connect on a point-blank chance.
The Phantoms (22-22-7) now find themselves in a worst-case situation: they need to beat the best team in the AHL, the Hershey Bears (41-10-3), on Sunday just to salvage two points from the weekend and try to pull back above "Hockey .500" on the season. They'll have to do it with many of their better players this season being unavailable due either to injuries or current NHL recalls.
Ian Laperriere's team has played Hershey tough this season (3-4-2) but Sunday's game is a very tall order no matter one slices and dices the matchup.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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