Again, the second period proved to be the Flyers’ best period of the game. Unfortunately, this time, that second period wasn’t enough to put them over the edge.
Some stout goaltending from all-world netminder Carey Price and a late goal on a deflection in front cost the Flyers a point tonight in Montreal, where they fell 3-1 to the Canadiens and were stymied in their effort to put together their first actual win streak of the season.
The first period was a combination of chippy and sloppy, with both teams taking a penalty and with several moments on each side of flubbed pucks and poor decisions to spring the other team on a chance. The Flyers were outshot 9-6 in the frame, and even that relatively meager shot count sort of overstated how uninspiring a period of hockey it was.
Still, with the way that first periods have largely gone for the Flyers this year, one could argue it was one of the best opening frames of the season for the orange and black. And as such, they’d head into the locker room scoreless.
Montreal would light up the scoreboard first, as a bomb from the point by True Flyer Shea Weber would bounce off of Brayden Schenn’s stick, past a perfect screen by Andrew MacDonald, and through Steve Mason.
But from that point, for most of the next 20 minutes or so, the Flyers pretty consistently kept the pedal down and generated pressure on the home team. Players up and down the lineup seemed to be getting their chances here and there, and the Flyers would finally break through Carey Price and draw even just past the game’s midway point. Not long after Jakub Voracek did this…
Jake the Snake with the dangles pic.twitter.com/XRT09szIEV
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2016
…he then did this, tipping home a Giroux point shot for his third goal of the year.
Sorry everyone you’ll have to wait for Koencny’s first goal, this one belong to the Snake. pic.twitter.com/B1gxfbLx1K
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2016
By that point, things had clearly shifted in the Flyers’ favor, as they continued to dominate the ice through the rest of the second period and into the early third. However, Carey Price was able to keep them out of the net and the lead, and that proved to be enough for the Canadiens when they finally wrested control away from the Flyers later on in the period.
After a couple of rough defensive shifts, Sean Couturier was called for a hooking penalty at center-ice with just under seven minutes remaining. Montreal won the faceoff and immediately cashed in, as Alexander Radulov fired a shot in from the blue line and Brendan Gallagher would tip it past Mason.
Radulov with an absolute rocket gives the Habs the lead. pic.twitter.com/biO1HCa8OT
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2016
The final seven minutes would be a bit hectic, as both Mason and Price were forced to make multiple strong saves to keep the score where it was. Unfortunately for the Flyers, the score would not, in fact, move, and an empty-netter from Radulov would seal the deal for the Canadiens.
THAT STUNK, SO HERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE LIKED:
- Steve Mason was the best Flyer on the ice last night, and deserved a better fate than the loss he was handed. Two goals tipped right in front of him, and several other great saves to keep things close.
- The clips above may have served as a hint, but Jakub Voracek is on a warpath right now. The whole Konecny – Couturier – Voracek line still looks excellent, but he is definitely the engine that makes it move right now.
- Ivan Provorov was cool and collected yet again, snuffing out multiple near-breakaways by Montreal and making the smart plays we’re already accustomed to him making.
- Brandon Manning was also still good! At some point we have to wonder if that’s who he is now, right?/
Comment of the Night:
I don’t know if I can exactly blame AMac for that but I want to.
— ACaseOfTastyKakes, on Gallagher’s game-winner
Buffalo tomorrow night at home. Time to bounce back. Go Flyers.
