On the back-end of their back-to-back trip, the Philadelphia Flyers (24-20-9) couldn’t get much of anything going as they slumped to a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins (32-20-3).
If someone told you that David Pastrňák went without a point in this one, you might have thought it would have been a close game, but the Bruins’ second line did most of the damage early and often, as they combined for three goals in the first two periods.
Viktor Arvidsson, Fraser Minten, and Casey Mittelstadt combined for 3 goals and 4 assists, while Pavel Zacha and Tanner Jeannot scored key second period tallies to push the Bruins’ lead even further. Marat Khusnutdinov added an empty netter.
Travis Konecny continued to lead the way offensively for the Flyers, notching a goal and an assist, but the rest of the team went silent outside of his linemate Nikita Grebenkin, who scored late in the second period to stop the bleeding.
Dan Vladař entered the third period after Samuel Ersson was forced out due to a lower-body injury. He allowed 5 goals on 20 shots and it remains to be seen if he’ll be healthy heading into the weekend, but Vladař will more than likely be tabbed as the starter anyways.
FIRST PERIOD
The Flyers looked to be weathering the storm to start the game, but the Bruins, eventually broke through with 2 goals in a span of just 41 seconds to take a 2-0 lead midway through the period.
Arvidsson got the scoring started when he wired a one-timer from the slot past Ersson. Minten and Mittelstadt did all the hard work with some nice passing plays before Arvidsson finished it off for his 13th of the season.
Then 41 seconds later, the Bruins’ top line struck as Zacha walked down the middle of the ice and roofed a shot high-glove. The Bruins dug the puck loose at centre ice before Morgan Geekie found Zacha through a maze of bodies.
The Flyers looked to have cut the deficit in half when Christian Dvorak thought he had scored, however after review it was deemed that Grebenkin interfered with Jeremy Swayman, and it was subsequently waived off.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bruins continued pressuring the Flyers to start the second period and were gifted with a third goal, courtesy of Minten’s 14th of the season. The former Toronto Maple Leaf was able to walk into the slot and fired a shot through the five-hole at the 2:27 mark.
Fortunately the Flyers were able to quell the bleeding after Konecny scored at the 3:17 mark. It was similar to some of his goals from Wednesday, where he walked into the slot and wired a hard snap-shot past the goaltender, but this time around it was off a brutal turnover from the Bruins that landed right on his stick.
The Flyers had several strong shifts and an abundance of pressure being applied, but to no avail, as the Bruins’ second line got their third goal of the night. Mittelstadt – who completed the hat trick for the line as Minten and Arvidsson had previously scored – finished off an easy tap-in that was set up by Minten from the far boards.
Then with just 1:20 remaining in the period, Andrew Peeke fired a slapshot from the point that was deflected by Jeannot, giving the Bruins an insurmountable 5-1 lead.
The Flyers, to their credit weren’t backing down without a fight, as Grebenkin finished off a loose rebound with 54.5 seconds remaining in the period. Konecny was stopped on a breakaway and the initial rebound before Grebenkin cleaned up the loose change.
THIRD PERIOD
Ersson was forced out of the contest due a to lower-body injury, so Vladař entered the contest to start the third period. Ersson’s night ended having allowed 5 goals on 20 shots.
On a late power play, Matvei Michkov finished off a busy play in front of Swayman. The goaltender made the initial stop, but with a loose rebound, Denver Barkey was able to find Michkov cross-crease for an easy tap-in.
It was the Flyers’ 3rd straight loss and 4th in their last 5 games as the free-fall continues. They will be back on the ice on Saturday when they play host to the Los Angeles Kings in an early matinee.
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