GIF Rewind: Flyers get physical in frustrating loss to Bruins

The Philadelphia Flyers had a strong second period, but that wasn’t enough to take down the Bruins. Boston got a hat trick from Patrice Bergeron and a shorthanded game-winning goal from Brad Marchand to win it in Philadelphia.

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After a disappointing first period, the Flyers turned it on in the second. They outshot the Bruins 25-7 in the second period but managed just four shots on goal in the third period. That simply isn’t enough in a must-win game against a goalie making his NHL debut.

First period

The Flyers were playing against a goalie making his NHL debut, but they didn’t test him much early on.

James van Riemsdyk made a good defense-to-offense play at his blue line on the first shift, but then got hemmed in his own zone. The Bruins had some early pressure, but Carter Hart made a few saves to keep the game scoreless.

The Flyers’ first good chance came on a rush. Claude Giroux passed it across to Samuel Morin, but his netfront pass to Travis Konecny couldn’t connect.

Then, a Shayne Gostisbehere bank pass was miscalculated, leading to some more offensive-zone time for the Bruins. Luckily, Hart bailed him out before the first TV timeout.

It was a rather even first few minutes, but then it all changed.

Brad Marchand eluded Justin Braun at the blue line and sent a shot on net. Craig Smith tipped it and the puck bounced up to hit Hart in the chest. However, Patrice Bergeron got behind Ivan Provorov to slide the rebound home.

 

You’d really like to see better defense in front there by Provorov.

The Flyers got the game’s first power play, but they couldn’t do much with it. Joel Farabee redirected a Giroux shot that Jeremy Swayman made a nice save on, and the second unit’s only chance was a Nolan Patrick shot off the rush.

Scott Laughton blocked a shot near the line for a semi-breakaway of his own, but he missed the net. That sparked a two-on-one rush for the Bruins, but Hart had the answer on David Pastrnak‘s shot.

 

The Bruins got their first power play of the game in the final minutes of the period.

Laughton had another breakaway chance, but was denied on a move in close.

 

This time, however, the Bruins came back down and scored at the other end.

Who else but Bergeron?

 

Hart will want that one back.

Konecny wasn’t happy late in the period after this cross-check in front.

 

The Flyers trailed 2-0 after one period of play, but led in shots, 13-11.

Second period

The Flyers came out of the gates swinging in the second period. They immediately put the pressure on and got two goals to tie it up 4:03 into the frame.

The first goal came off a lucky bounce and good play by Konecny.

A Bruin fell down and Konecny was able to knock down the clearing attempt. He then found Jakub Voracek with a perfect pass to get the Flyers on the board.

 

Seriously, what a pass by Konecny.

 

The Flyers were feeling it after that, and this time it was Voracek with the great cross-ice pass leading to a goal.

Shayne Gostisbehere was the recipient of that pass and fired it home.

 

The snipe and celly by Ghost!

 

The Bruins pushed back a bit, however, but the Flyers survived a long shift in their own zone. The physicality definitely picked up as the game moved along.

Hart bailed out Myers after a bad turnover to keep the game tied.

 

James van Riemsdyk laid a big hit along the boards and eventually drew a retaliation penalty.

 

Kevin Hayes wound up and blasted a slap shot off the crossbar during the delayed penalty, and the Flyers had some good chances on the power play. They couldn’t convert, though.

Things really picked up in the final minutes. Brad Marchand went hard to the net and Sean Couturier immediately went after him.

Even Carter Hart had a man.

 

Let’s take another look at that. Notice Marchand kicking Oskar Lindblom‘s legs out from under him.

 

That’s a dirty play by a player with a not-so-great reputation.

The Flyers and Bruins were tied at two after two periods of play. The Flyers were the much better team in the period, outshooting the Bruins 25-7 in the frame.

The second was one of the Flyers' best periods in quite some time. At 5-on-5: 35-19 shot attempts (64.81% CF), 24-7 SOG, 15-6 scoring chances (6-3 high-danger), 1.4-0.61 xGF (69.82%), and of course the 2-0 goals.

Keep the pedal to the metal in the third period.

— Ryan Gilbert (@RGilbertSOP) April 7, 2021

Third period

The two teams were tied heading into the second period, and it looked like neither team wanted to take too many chances to potentially lose the overtime point.

It was a lot of back-and-forth action, with not much ice being given to make plays at 5-on-5.

The Flyers could’ve had an early power play, but this wasn’t called.

 

They got a power play midway through the period, though, and it was the Bruins who scored.

Giroux got converged upon along the wall and his pass was picked off. The Bruins came down the ice on a two-on-one rush and Marchand beat Hart to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead.

 

The Flyers needed an answer.

Unfortunately, the Bruins got the next power play of the game with a chance to take a two-goal lead.

Morin was called for roughing on this play.

 

He didn’t like the call, to say the least.

 

Luckily, the Flyers killed off the penalty.

They pulled Hart with 1:58 left as they had the extra attacker. However, they couldn’t get the job done.

Bergeron hit the empty net with 22.9 seconds left to complete the hat trick.

The Flyers lost to the Bruins 4-2. They’re now five points back of Boston, who have two games in hand.

The Flyers will return to action on Thursday night on Long Island before hosting the Bruins again on Saturday afternoon.