Flyers fall (literally) in Columbus, 6-3

The Flyers finally scored first, but couldn’t make it stand as the Blue Jackets powered back to double them up by a final score of 6-3 on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

Travis Koency started the scoring for the Flyers, who took just their second first intermission lead in this one, but watched Cam Atkinson and Columbus roar back in the second period to take control and drop the Flyers to 3-4 on the young season.

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Looking for a better start for the Flyers did not go well as David Savard hit the iron behind Cal Pickard less than 20 seconds in. Please note: the Flyers have allowed the first goal in all six games they’ve played so far (wink, wink).

Jake Voracek nearly had the games first goal, but his wrist shot glanced off the post off a nice feed from Travis Sanheim in the high slot just over four minutes in. Soon after a Dean Kukan delay of game penalty would grant the Flyers the first man-advantage of the game.

On the ensuing power play a few chances would be stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky, though he was aided by another post on a Shayne Gostisbehere point laser as the game stayed scoreless seven minutes in.

With 9:54 left in the first period, Travis Konecny would finally provide the Flyers with an opening goal. It’s Konecny’s first of the season, from Robert Hagg and Claude Giroux.

On the following shift Artemi Panarin did his best to try and tie things right back up, but Pickard robbed him on a one-timer and then watched as Panarin sent another chance high and wide from just in front of the Flyers’ crease.

With 5:57 left in the fist Ivan Provorov would head to the box for a highly questionable tripping call and put the Flyers’ 25th-ranked penalty kill to the test. It was a clean kill, though, with the Blue Jackets generating some zone time but not much danger.

Columbus would find an equalizer before the end of the first in the form of a highlight-reel goal from Anthony Duclair. To be honest I’m not even sure quite how to describe it, but it was pretty insane. You can see for yourself below, but things were tied up at 1-1 after it that much I do know.

But we wouldn’t be tied for long, gang. Sean Couturier fluttered one past Bobrovsky with 50 seconds left in the period to give the Flyers the lead right back. While not as cool as Duclair’s tally earlier, it counts all the same to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead to the first intermission.

AFTER 20: Flyers 2, BJ’s 1

The Flyers’ first-intermission lead would last just 1:34 to start the second as Cam Atkinson would tip home a centering feed from Panarin to nod things up at 2-2. Atkinson drove the net hard and Panarin found the diminutive winger, who beat the backchecking Voracek to the crease for the payoff.

Atkinson wasn’t done, though, as he’d make it 3-2 a few minutes later off the rush. Atkinson took a pass off the boards from Panarin and blew by Robert Hagg to give the Blue Jackets their first lead of the night.

The goals came just 3:08 apart. Talk about blowing a lead..

NIck Foligno would add insult to injury, potting one from way out to push the Blue Jackets’ lead to 4-2. Alex Wennberg was parked directly in front of Pickard, who was beaten rather cleanly.

Seemingly trying to make things worse, our old buddy Cal decided to try and help out Ghost, leading to a nearly early Christmas present for the Blue Jackets. Mercifully, the Jackets did not convert.

AFTER 40: BJ’s 4, Flyers 2

Trailing two with 20 minutes left the Flyers would get one back early courtesy of Oskar Lindblom cut the deficit to one at 4-3. Lindblom and Travis Konecny got in on the forcecheck and worked the puck free from Zack Werenski with Lindblom ramming one home from behind the net just 1:06 into the period.

Riley Nash would put the Flyers on the power play with a chance to even things up about a minute later. Nothing would be doing on the opportunity, though, as the Flyers squandered a golden chance to pull even.

Shayne Gostisbehere nearly found the equalizer on a shot that hit a body in front around the eight-minute mark of the third, but the puck died on the deflection and dribbled off the pad of Bobrovsky and out of harms way.

After pushing hard for a tying goal through the middle part of the frame, Columbus would push back and force Jordan Weal into a tripping penalty with 7:21 left in the period. Weal was at the end of a long shift and got caught in what was an otherwise strong night for him.

Needing a massive penalty kill, the Flyers would get a solid start with a clear from Ivan Provorov and a nice shorthanded chance from Scott Laughton. On the ensuing rush Pickard would come up with a huge pad save to keep the Blue Jackets’ lead at just one just before time expired on the advantage.

Despite the kill, it would be a killer turnover from Christian Folin right in front of his own net that gave Josh Anderson a gift goal to make it 5-3 Columbus. Folin blew a tire on the rush up ice at the worst possible time and Pickard couldn’t bail him out.

Yep, these are the Flyers.

With this one pretty well wrapped up Sonny Milano would add the cherry on top for the Blue Jackets, burying a Jake Voracek turnover past Pickard to extend the lead to 6-3. It was another soft goal for Pickard, who is definitely not an answer by any means in goal.

FINAL: BJ’s 6, Flyers 3