Philippe Myers scored his first goal of the season and Sean Couturier saved us all from the dreaded shootout as the Flyers topped the Canadiens, 3-2, in overtime on Thursday night from the Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers skated away with two points despite going 0-for-6 on the power play against the NHL’s 30-ranked penalty kill coming in. Carey Price was the difference for most of the game, but he wasn’t able to do it all himself as the Flyers and Couturier got the last laugh in the end as Carter Hart topped his idol.
Carter Hart was tested early as the Flyers were sloppy in their own zone in this one. Hart was excellent against the Hurricanes, and looked dialed in early.
Not many whistles through the first half of the period but not much action either as the Flyers managed just a couple weak attempts on Price.
Right on cue Travis Konecny would burst in on Price but would be denied by the netminder after a quick developing play in the neutral zone with around nine minutes gone. Price was able to get a glove on the attempt, though TK argued he was slashed on his way in.
The Flyers would strike first, and it’d be Myers putting one home for his first of the season to make it 1-0 with 6:09 left in the period. Price was screened in front, allowing the seeing-eye point shot to find the back of the net.
Phil! pic.twitter.com/5KyXi4md4q
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
With 1:17 left in the first the Flyers would get a chance to extend the lead with Tomas Tatar in the box for slashing Claude Giroux’s stick right from his hands.
After a tilting the ice towards the Canadiens end late in the first the payoff would strike early in the second period. James van Riemsdyk took advantage of a failed Montreal clearing attempt in front of Price and mashed home the loose puck to make it 2-0 just 49 seconds in. Giroux and Jakub Voracek picked up the helpers on JVR’s fourth of the season.
Byron whiffs on a chance to clear and JVR puts the Flyers up by 2! pic.twitter.com/6WXfGYHe2t
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
Speaking of tilting the ice, how about blasting someone off of it?
Provorov with a huge open ice hit! pic.twitter.com/c2zmrLdmEW
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
That’s the stuff, Provy. That’s the stuff.
After not seeing a ton of rubber as the Flyers spent the better half of the first period and half of the second in the Canadiens’ zone, Hart would look rusty and cost the Flyers.
Hart couldn’t corral a Nick Cousins shot and the rebound went right to Ben Chiarot, who buried it to cut the Flyers’ lead to 2-1 with 6:16 left in the period. It was a juicy rebound that Hart left in front that was begging to cost him and it sure did.
With 1:40 left in in the middle stanza the Flyers would have a chance to get the Chiarot goal back with a power play on tap thanks to Artturi Lehkonen. Nothing was doing as the second ended with the Flyers still up 2-1 and just six seconds left of carryover to the third.
Montreal would complete the comeback from two goals down as a Shea Weber snapshot beat Hart to make it 2-2 less than five minutes into the third. Hart, who couldn’t corral the rebound on the Habs’ first goal, turned the puck over behind his cage to lead to the Weber equalizer.
Julien is just a little bit heated after that call. pic.twitter.com/BZJ0tRu9Uh
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
So Claude Julien kind of lost it there for a little bit. Flyers power play thanks to the coach meltdown.
With 6:43 left the Flyers would get a golden chance to break the tie with Carsen Twarynski drawing a penalty shot. Problem was that Price didn’t bit on anything and denied the bid with relative ease.
Price stops Twarynski’s penalty shot. pic.twitter.com/Ns38fiEJV4
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
Carey Price very clearly has an easy button.
No more scoring would occur in regulation as the Flyers and Habs would need overtime to settle things.
After watching Carey Price turn them away time after time throughout the night, the dam finally broke early into the extra session as Sean Couturier snuck one by Price to give the Flyers the 3-2 win. Price got a piece of the shot, but not enough to keep the puck from leaking over the goal line.
Couturier’s overtime game-winner! pic.twitter.com/VIpGZB5flZ
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) November 8, 2019
Three stars
1. Sean Couturier
The Flyers deserved two points in this one for their entire body of work and Coots delivered the good in OT. Not only did Coots provide the winner, but he did so in beating a red-hot goaltender on a roll for the bulk of the game.
2. Phil Myers
Perhaps the best NHL game we’ve seen Phil Myers play, and not just because of his second career goal, but his entire line of work on the night in all three zones. Myers was an eraser in his own zone and through the neutral zone as the Flyers’ defense was…good? Weird.
3. Carey Price
40 saves on 43 shots for Hart’s idol, and this thing wouldn’t have even sniffed overtime for the Habs without their man wearing the extra gear between the pipes. I hate the man, but I sure do respect him.
GIF of the night
Cookie duster szn. #MTLvsPHI | #FlyOrDie pic.twitter.com/PbkeWjcLsv
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 8, 2019
Let’s get weird. I mean, we are going streaking after all.
