After having allowed 13 goals in their last three games, the Lightning were hoping to tighten things up defensively. Unfortunately, that didn’t occur. The Lightning surrendered a handful of rush chances in the game, and three yielded goals for the Flyers. But their ability to rally from a third-period deficit at least earned them a point in the standings.
Playing without Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning adjusted their power-play units. On their first PP opportunity, the second unit converted. Yanni Gourde wired a shot-pass from the left circle to the back post, where Gage Goncalves redirected it in at 8:29 of the first. The Flyers tied the game when the line of Ryan Poehling, Olle Lycksell, and Bobby Brink scored off the rush. The Lightning players were shifted to one side of the ice, leaving Brink open on the other side. Lycksell delivered a pass to Brink, who roofed a right-circle shot over the glove of Jonas Johansson at 14:20. It was 1-1 after 20 minutes.
Zemgus Girgerson rejoined Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli in this game, and he scored his second goal of the season on the opening shift of the second period. The Lightning retrieved the puck in the offensive zone after a dump-in. Erik Cernak fired a right-point shot that led to a rebound, and Girgensons slid it past Sam Ersson at :15. On the next shift, the Lightning received another power play and had a chance to extend the lead. They failed to do so, however, and they also couldn’t convert on a third power-play chance later in the frame. Those missed opportunities proved to be significant because the Flyers tied the game on the shift after that final power play ended. Brink came out of the box and stayed on the ice. He accepted a pass from Sean Couturier and broke free down the right wing. Cam Atkinson was the closest Lightning player to Brink, and Atkinson stumbled. Brink was in the clear, and he finished his breakaway at 10:55. Brink was involved in the next Philadelphia goal as well. With just over a minute left in the frame, he took the puck to the left corner in the offensive zone and passed to Lycksell at the left circle. The Lightning lost coverage on Poehling in front – he received the puck from Lycksell and tallied the go-ahead goal at 19:01.
Credit the Lightning for pushing back to start the third. They owned most of the possession in the early minutes and tied the game when Atkinson wristed a shot from the slot over Ersson’s glove at 3:50. But after the Atkinson goal, the Flyers carried play for much of the rest of the period. Johansson stopped nine third-period shots to preserve the tie, and the Lightning navigated through a key penalty kill.
In overtime, the Lightning enjoyed most of the possession but recorded just one shot on goal. They had four other attempts that missed the net.
Shootouts are usually a coin toss, and for the second time this season between the teams, the Flyers won the toss. Matvei Michkov and Brayden Point scored in Round Two. Victor Hedman and Brandon Hagel had a chance to win the game for the Lightning in Rounds Three and Four, but Ersson made the saves to extend things. Owen Tippett tallied a goal in Round Five, and Ersson secured the victory when he stopped Oliver Bjorkstrand. Thanks to Atkinson’s goal and Johansson’s third-period work, however, the Lightning didn’t come away from this game empty-handed.
The Lightning will bank their point and head to Boston, where they finish the trip on Saturday.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Bobby Brink — Flyers. Two goals and assist.
- Erik Cernak — Lightning. Assist.
- Ryan Poehling — Flyers. Goal and assist.
