Flyers earn huge win over Sabres in shootout
Photo via Philadelphia Flyers' Twitter
It wasn’t easy, but sometimes you just got to except it.
The Philadelphia Flyers win a huge game over the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night in the shootout to earn a much-needed two points.
Recap of Thursday night’s win:
Period 1
The Flyers won the opening draw, and we’re underway.
It would only take two minutes for the Flyers to get going. Sean Couturier dup it out of the board and shot a pass to Joel Farabee, who passed it to James van Rymsdyk in front of the goal, and JVR wrist-shot it into the goal to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. This line had been unstoppable for the Flyers, and it’s been fun to watch.
Right after the faceoff following JVR’s goal, Curtis Lazar flipped Scott Laughton over, and Laughton landed on his neck. It’s really upsetting how the referees missed that call, Laughton’s neck could’ve snapped in half for goodness sake! As the “refs you suck” chants rained down from the 3,000+ fans in attendance, the teams and the refs got ready for a faceoff.
It would only take two minutes for the Flyers to give-up yet another lead as Sam Reinhart went top-shelf on Carter Hart to tie the game at one.
A few minutes later, Riley Sheahan would bank in a rebound on Eric Staal’s shot to make it 2-1 Sabres.
Again, the Flyers had bad defense. But it wouldn’t stop. Taylor Hall wrapped around the goal, then he passed the puck to Reinhart, who shot it under Hart’s armpit and into the net to make it 3-1 Buffalo. Reinhart’s second goal of the game.
At the tail end of the period, Cody Eakin aught Coots with a high stick. The Flyers would on the power play for :55 until the end of the period.
Period stats:
Flyers: 8 shots-on-goal, 8 hits, 12 faceoffs won, 0 penalty minutes.
Bruins: 8 shots-on-goal, 8 hits, 3 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes.
After one awful period by Philadelphia, Buffalo leads 3-1.
Period 2
The Flyers pulled Hart after the first heading into the second, Brian Elliot replaced.
Flyers had 1:05 left on the PP, but the Bruins killed it.
Scott Laughton would start to skate down the ice. At the right faceoff circle in the Sabres’ zone, Laughton would go a bit of razzle-dazzle with a between-the-legs move, and it was beautiful. Laughton shot a pass over to Kevin Hayes, who would shoot it past Jonas Johansson and score!
It wouldn’t take very long for the Sabres to Brandon Montour to get one past Elliot and give the Sabres’ two-goal lead right back.
Hayes would head to the box for cross-checking, as a scuffle ensued on the boards. Flyers killed the PP.
Shortly after the Sabres PP, Rasmus Ristolainen would take a high sticking penalty. The Sabres would kill the PP. The PP boos, they were deserved (don’t be dirty minded, think hockey).
Brandon Montour would head off for hooking. As boos continued to rain down, the Flyers’ PP would fail again as the Sabres killed it.
Seconds after the PP expired, Jakub Voracek fed a pass to Claude Giroux, and he tapped in front of the net to make the deficit one, again. 4-3 Sabres still led.
Period stats:
Flyers: 12 shots-on-goal, 8 hits, 9 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes.
Bruins: 6 shots-on-goal, 7 hits, 14 faceoffs won, 4 penalty minutes.
After 40 minutes of play, the Sabres lead 4-3.
Period 3
Flyers won the opening faceoff to start the final 20 minutes.
Midway through the third period and the Flyers were outshooting the Sabres 28-18. But they still haven’t been able to find the equalizer yet.
Jeff Skinner would go to the sin bin for holding. Flyers went on a huge PP. And thankfully, Shane Gostisbehere sniped the puck and the top left over Johansson and into the net tie the game up at four! And it was a PPG!
To make the high feeling low, the refs would make a soft call of Voracek becuase apparently he “tripped”. Sabres went to the PP with 2:44 left. Flyers got the huge kill.
Overtime
A minute in, Giroux broke up a play and passed the puck out to Coots, who had all the room in the world. He was on the breakaway, but failed to get the puck in the net.
Shootout
Round 1:
Coots scores
Rasmus Dahlin is denied
Round 2:
Patrick fires and scores
Casey Mittelstadt can’t beat Elliott
Flyers win 5-4!
Games stats:
Flyers: 33 shots-on-goal,
Flyers: 12 shots-on-goal, 23 hits, 30 faceoffs won, 4 penalty minutes.
Bruins: 20- shots-on-goal, 28 hits, 23 faceoffs won, 8 penalty minutes.
3 stars:
- Sean Couturier (2 assists)
- Sam Reinhart (2 goals)
- Claude Giroux (1 goal)
The 13-7-3 Flyers will face the 15-6-4 Washington Capitals Thursday night in Philly.
Great report as always!!!!
They did not give up and they got the win