GIF Rewind: Oskar Lindblom as strong as ever in win over Islanders

Oskar Lindblom saved the day for the Flyers on Thursday night.

The Philadelphia Flyers needed a response after Wednesday night’s 9-0 loss. They responded in a big way in the second period but nearly had another bad loss coming their way. The Islanders tied the game at three to come all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to start the third period.

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First period

The Rangers scored most of their goals on odd-man rushes, and the Islanders had one around the one-minute mark of the period.

A few minutes later during a cycle, Ryan Pulock hit the post with a slap shot from the point.

It wasn’t the best start for the Flyers, who gave up another odd-man rush –– led by Mathew Barzal –– around five minutes into the game.

The Flyers had a prime opportunity to open the scoring after Barzal received a double-minor for high-sticking. They put some pressure on during the four minutes, but could only get two shots on goal and neither of them got past Semyon Varlamov.

Then, it was the Islanders’ turn to go on the power play after a roughing penalty by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. New York hit the post again, with Nolan Patrick possibly getting a piece of the shot.

Carter Hart was solid in the first period, including during some chaos in the crease late in the power play.

After the kill, the second line got pinned in their own zone along with the second pair. The pressure ended after a good clear by Philippe Myers and Jakub Voracek along the wall.

Things then picked up for the Flyers in the final few minutes of the period. They looked like a team trying to bounce back from a 9-0 loss and were playing with a sense of urgency.

The Flyers led in shots 9-8 in the scoreless first period. During 5-on-5 play, they out-attempted the Islanders 10-8, with each team having four shots on goal and three scoring chances.

Second period

The Flyers took that momentum from late in the first period into the second period with them. After Wednesday night’s 7-0 second period, this was a relief.

Oskar Lindblom opened the scoring for the Flyers. He and his new linemates –– Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny –– went to work in the offensive zone. Then, Lindblom found the rebound in front and put it home.

That one had to feel good for Oskar.

Konecny was on a mission on this shift.

Joel Farabee nearly made it a 2-0 game shortly thereafter, but his shot rang off the post.

The Flyers kept up the pressure, though. Nolan Patrick led a 3-on-2 and drew a penalty as he crashed the net.

Unfortunately, the power play was lifeless yet again, but it didn’t stop the Flyers’ momentum.

Hart kept the Flyers up by one with a strong save in front.

Then, Scott Laughton raced down the ice to cancel an icing call. Kevin Hayes and Jakub Voracek supported him to win a battle. That’s big for the Flyers, who weren’t getting that puck support against the Ranger.s

Then the Flyers struck again.

Lindblom had yet another hard-working shift that led to a goal. He won a puck battle along the wall and the puck eventually got back to the point. Nate Prosser fired a shot on net that Giroux deflected by Varlamov.

Giroux with the tip to put the Flyers up 2-0.

The Flyers added on less than four minutes later.

Hayes carried the puck up ice on an odd-man rush with Justin Braun and Voracek. With Hayes out wide, Braun pushed the defenseman back in the center of the ice. Hayes then had a wide-open passing lane to Voracek, who one-timed it home.

The Flyers were up 3-0 and they didn’t slow down from there.

It seems like a simple thing, but the Flyers keeping the momentum after scoring is huge. They've allowed a lot of goals shortly after scoring this season. Tonight has been refreshing so far.

— Ryan Gilbert (@RGilbertSOP) March 19, 2021

It was a dominant period for the Flyers.

The Good Flyers returned in the second period.

At 5-on-5 play: 24-8 shot attempts, 11-4 shots on goal, 11-3 scoring chances, 6-0 high-danger chances, and, of course, 3-0 goals.

And holy hell this new third line is dominating. pic.twitter.com/1YnyvQq38X

— Ryan Gilbert (@RGilbertSOP) March 19, 2021

Third period

The Islanders came out of the second intermission with a strong push. They had the better of the play early in the third period, but the Flyers were able to hold them off for a bit.

They couldn’t completely hold them off, however.

Michael Dal Colle beat Carter Hart on a seemingly harmless shot to get the Islanders on the board.

The Islanders had a huge power play just past the midway point of the period, but Hart came up big to kill it off. However, the Islanders scored shortly after the kill.

Nick Leddy walked through the Flyers defense and fed Sebastian Aho, who beat Hart with some help from Sanheim’s stick.

You could feel the momentum changing throughout the period, and the Islanders took advantage.

The Islanders tied it up at three just 34 seconds later.

Leddy found a wide-open Oliver Wahlstrom and it was tied up.

The Flyers should’ve had a late power play, but somehow this slashing penalty wasn’t called.

It felt like it was going to be another Islanders’ comeback win over the Flyers, but Oskar Lindblom had other ideas.

He and Konecny went to work after a faceoff win by Giroux and Lindblom gave the Flyers the late lead.

What a shot.

The Islanders had some chances with the goalie pulled, but Carter Hart stood tall to clinch the 4-3 victory.

The Flyers got back on track against the Islanders. The two teams will play again on Saturday night on Long Island.