Flyers 5, Sabres 4: That’s why you don’t play for the shootout

First Period

After Buffalo dominated the first minute and a half, the Flyers made quick work asserting themselves in this game. Travis Sanheim made a great keep just in front of the blue line to get the puck to Sean Couturier, who made a filthy pass to Joel Farabee, who found a driving James van Riemsdyk for the opening tally. This line certainly has some chemistry I’d say.

They lineup for the faceoff after the goal and all of a sudden the camera cuts to a downed Scott Laughton. We’re all left in confusion until the footage plays and we see Curtis Lazar doing his best Undertaker last ride impression on the Flyers centerman. Believe it or not, that’s not a thing allowed in hockey, but no one told the refs that so we play on I guess.

To make matters worse the Sabres scored two goals pretty quickly after this because life is pain. Eat Arby’s.

Just when you thought they might make it out of the first only down one, Sam Reinhart scores his second of the night because Travis Konecny had no desire to play any actual defense. First period summarized: not great, folks!

Second Period

Well, Brian Elliott was brought in for Carter Hart. That just about tells you how the period started.

But that would soon change. Somehow a healthy Laughton came back into the game and he made his presence known. He made a beautiful backhand cross-ice pass to Kevin Hayes who sniped it home and made it a one goal game, a huge momentum changer for the Flyers.

Or so we thought.

Brandon Montour scored just about three minutes later and there went any momentum the Flyers gained from the Hayes goal. Personally, I wonder why we bother celebrating goals anymore when they just give one up immediately after.

This trend would be put to the test again when Jakub Voracek found the captain Claude Giroux for a goal in tight putting the Flyers within one yet again. It was a great find by Voracek who made the pass from well behind the goal line.

Surprisingly the Flyers would not allow a goal for the remainder of the period and actually keep it a one-goal game heading into the final frame.

Third Period

To say the Flyers dominated the majority of the third period would be an understatement. They had plenty of chances but simply failed to convert on any of them. They hit posts, fired shots wide, and shots were saved, they just could not find the answer. With just under seven minutes to go they went to the power play with a huge chance to tie the game up.

The power play looked like it wasn’t going to produce that goal, but then Shayne Gostisbehere unloaded an absolute cannon from the point that went top shelf and tied the game at four. If that’s the Gostisbehere we see more often than not, this team becomes much better.

What created that power play was a hooking call, but what was missed that could have given the Flyers a 5-on-3 advantage, was blatant interference from Rasmus Dahlin on Voracek. I bring this up, because Voracek would be called for a trip on Taylor Hall just moments after the game-tying goal. It’s a fair call, but egregious given what was missed earlier.

Thankfully this call would not bite the Flyers, as they killed off the PK and would head to OT securing a point.

Overtime

Make OT 4-on-4 again so we don’t have to watch that garbage.

Skills competition

Couturier: YESSIR

Dahlin: DENIED

Patrick: THAT’S HIS MOVE BABY

Mittelstadt: MOOSE SAYS NO, PUT THIS ONE IN THE W COLUMN BOYS