Postgame RAV4: Flyers Are Playoff Bound

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2 (1-0) in a shootout at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday.  The Flyers secured the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Tyson Foerster netted the shootout winner.

The Flyers controlled the territorial possession in the first period. But Carolina was the opportunistic team, scoring at 5-on-5 and the power play to take a two-goal lead to intermission.

Bradly Nadeau (3rd) gave Carolina the lead on their first shot on goal of the game. Niklaj Ehlers (PPG, 25th) doubled the advantage.

Carolina had the better of the play early in the second period. However, the Flyers pushed back and ultimately rallied for the next two goals.

Goals by Matvei Michkov (19th) and Trevor Zegras (PPG, 26th) brought the Flyers back even in the middle frame. The third period was scoreless.

Dan Vladar made 27 saves on 29 shots through 65 minutes and then went 4-for-4 in the shootout. Brandon Bussi denied 22 of 24 shots then three of four in the shootout.

The Flyers went 0-for-1 on the power play. The PK was 0-for-1.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

The Flyers turned the puck over twice in the defensive zone on the game's first shift. On the next shift, the Flyers won a battle down low for a Christian Dvorak chance.

Bussi stopped Trevor Zegras in front at one end. Travis Sanheim made a defensive stop at the other end. Sean Couturier fired wide of the net on the next shift.

Through 6:33, shots were 4-0 Flyers.

Carolina scored on their first shot at 8:41. Nadeau got free in the low slot for a centering pass from Nikolaj Ehlers. The point-blank shot beat Vladar over the glove. The other assist went to Sean Walker.

Owen Tippett nearly won a 1-on-3 battle and created a chance for himself. Christian Dvorak and Denver Barkey (backhand) had looks shortly thereafter.

Carolina went to the game's first power play at 15:05. He grabbed hold of Jackson Blake in the neutral zone.Carolina won the draw. The puck went to Ehlers on the right side of the net. He scored at 13:30 for a 2-0 lead. The assists went to Logan Stankoven and Blake.

Cam York had a chance through the middle on the next shift. With 3:00 left, William Carrier muscled aside Emil Andrae behind the net and brought the puck around in front. Vladar made the save.

Nick Seeler came up with a blocked shot with 1:09 left in the period.

Shots: Flyers 7 - Hurricanes 6
Faceoffs: Flyers 7 - Hurricanes 6

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Tippett took the puck to the net and was knocked to the ice by K'Andre Miller at 2:42. The net came off for a stoppage.

A good backchecking play by Jamie Drysdale broke up a developing scoring chance.

Phily drew within 2-1 at 7:57. Denver Barkey made a great play off the wall and found Michkov on the other side. The young Russian forward didn't miss. Noah Cates earned the secondary assist.

Carolina took a bad penalty at 8:43. Walker ripped off Zegras' helmet behind the Carolina net for a roughing penalty.Bussi made a 10-bell save on Foerster from the doorstep. Zegras knotted the score at 10:30.

Crisp puck movement got the puck to Zegras along the goal line. Zegras skated out a stride and threaded a shot through the five-hole for a 1-1 tie. Porter Martone got the primary assist for the pass to Zegras. The secondary helper went to Foerster for his initial play on the boards.

At the buzzer, Martone and Skyler Brind'Amour pushed and shoved one another. No penalties were called.

Shots: Flyers 5 (12 overall)  - Hurricanes 8 (14 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 11 (18 overall) - Hurricanes 3 (9 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Vladar blocked a shot through traffic in the opening minute. At the other end, Barkey nearly made something out of nothing with sheer hustle.

At 4:22, Carolina's Charles-Alexis Legault was called for a four-minute high sticking penalty on Barkey (it also could have been called elbowing). After a replay review, the penalty came off the board.

As play resumed Vadar made a clutch save. He made another one with traffic at the net at the 6:15 mark. The Zegras line responded with a very strong shift.

York made a defensive stop to end a shift where the Flyers got hemmed in. At 9:10, Vladar froze the puck for a stoppage.

Travis Konecny set up a prime scoring chance at the net for Cates at 10:12.

At 11:44, Tippett broke through the middle and hit the post, but was slashed by Ehlers. The Flyers went to their second power play. Konecny had one scoring chance. Tippett had another.

Blake made a move around Sanheim. Vladar made a better save at 17:49.

Shots: Flyers 8 (20 overall)  - Hurricanes 9 (23 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 11 (29 overall) - Hurricanes 6 (15 overall)

OVERTIME SYNOPSIS

Zegras had the first scoring chance of the sudden death. Blake hit the post for Carolina. Vladar made a save on Ehlers and held the puck at 2:03. Michkov had a chance on a semi breakaway. Vladar made a late save on Nadeau.

Overtime shots were 3-0 Carolina.

SHOOTOUT SYNOPSIS

Zegras was unable to score on the backhand. Blake was denied by Vladar's outstretched skate.

Michkov ran out of room on an east-west-east move. Nadeau was denied on a five-hole attempt.

Konecny tried a quick short side shot. Miller missed on a backhander.

Foerster beat Bussi to the glove side. Nikishin was denied and the Flyers nailed down a playoff spot!

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey– Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov 

Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier --  Garnet Hathaway

Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Emil Andrae

Dan Vladar
[Samuel Ersson]

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Two demons: Playoff Drought, Struggle vs. Carolina

The Flyers entered the game with a 1-9-7 record in their last 17 games against Carolina. The team came in looking to finally end a five-season playoff drought. Philly took the first point they needed in OT.

2. Home crowd energy

The Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd was rocking even before the drop of the game's opening faceoff. Unfortunately, despite a generally well-played first period, the Flyers had a 2-0 deficit at the end of the first period.

In the second period, the crowd exhorted the home team anew. The club responded with the next two goals. As a result, the game entered the third stanza in "win a period, win the game" territory.

3. Balanced scoring

The Flyers came into the line looking for a couple lines or players to step up in the clutch, Michkov provided a huge lift in the second period.

4. Foerster-Zegras-Tippett line

The goal didn't come at five-on-five. However, Foerster was instrumental in the tying power play goal by Zegras in the middle stanza. Through the first 40 minutes, Tippett had three shots on goal and three credited hits. Through regulation, Tippett had four shots on goal. Foerster, of course, scored the shootout winner.