5 Observations: Flyers Lose on Late Goal, Slip to .500

The Philadelphia Flyers slipped to hockey .500 (4-4-1) as they absorbed a painful 3-2 loss Monday to Carolina at the Wells Fargo Center.

A late goal by Teuvo Teravainen snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted Carolina to 6-4 on the young season.

“It’s unfortunate to lose at least a point in the last five minutes, but we’re back at it again — we’ve got four games in six nights,” said Carter Hart, who stopped 30 of 33 shots.

Special teams killed the Flyers, who are 1-2 on their four-game homestand.

Here are five observations:

1. Both teams had glorious chances in the third period.

In an exciting and high-paced third period, both goalies took turns making sensational saves before Teravainen scored on a one-timer from the high slot, snapping a 2-2 tie with 3:37 remaining.

Teravainen converted a nice feed from Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Early in the third, Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen made key stops on Cam Atkinson (twice) and Owen Tippett, while Carter Hart robbed Sebastian Aho to keep the game tied at 2-2.

“That’s a really good hockey team,” coach John Tortorella said of the Hurricanes. “We just need to bury one of those chances. … We played better as the game went on. We made some really good offensive plays in the third period, created a lot of scoring chances. But Andersen, I don’t think he looked that good early on, but he stood on his head in the third period.”

Andersen stopped all 12 shots he faced in the third.

Hart made his best save of the night when he robbed Martin Necas, who was alone in front, with nine minutes left.

It was the second time in the last four games that the Flyers allowed a late goal against a high-quality opponent — they did it in Vegas — that led to a 3-2 loss.

2. Owen Tippett beats Bryce Harper. Sort of .

For most of the first period, the loudest ovation was when Phillies star Bryce Harper was introduced and shown on the scoreboard sitting with his family.

Tippett changed that.

His ovation surpassed Harper’s as he took a pass from Sean Couturier and beat Andersen, tying the game at 1-1 with 4:51  left in the first.

Bryce Harper and family at #Flyers game. Big roar as he is introduced. #Phillies pic.twitter.com/nRDuRWlrVE

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 30, 2023

Until then, the Hurricanes had dominated, outshooting the Flyers, 11-3 before Tippett collected his second goal of the season.

The Hurricanes used a relentless forecheck in the opening five minutes as they created several scoring chances.

Yet, it was the Flyers who had the best opportunity early in the game. Garnet Hathaway got ahead of the pack but was denied by Andersen.

The Canes came back down the ice and fourth-line right winger Stefan Noesen finished off a two-on-one down low, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead with 16:49 left in the first.

But Hathaway (five hits) cashed in on his next opportunity, converting a nice feed from Nic Deslauriers and scoring on a backhander from the side of the net. That gave the Flyers, who were outplayed for most of the period, a 2-1 lead with 1:37 remaining in the first.

D'Lo with the dish. Garnet with the goal. #CARvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/QQHzDXqSdW

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 31, 2023

3. The Hurricanes won the special-teams’ battle.

Carolina tied the game at 2-2 when Michael Bunting scored a power-play goal with 10:58 to go in the second. Bunting took a pass from Noesen and rifled a one-timer from near the top of the right circle past Carter Hart.

The Philadelphia Flyers were 0 for 5 on the power play. They had a combined one shot (by Tyson Foerster) on the first three of them.

4. Morgan Frost returned to the lineup and got better as the game progressed.

The 24-year-old center was benched in the previous six games, so he figured to be a little rusty.

He was … at least in the first 40 minutes. Overall, Frost won 30% of his faceoffs and wasn’t much of a factor until he came to life in the third period. He centered a line with Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster (team-high four shots).

Frost finished with three shots and got his linemates more involved in the third period.

Earlier in the day, Frost took his inactive spell in stride, saying he wants to stay in Philly.

“I don’t want to get traded. I love it here,” he said. “I love playing here and I think I can make a big impact here.”

He called his benchings a “little bump in the road.”

5. Smart coaching call.

We assume video coach Adam Patterson was the person who told head coach John Tortorella to challenge asecond-period Carolina goal because he saw an offside violation.

Patterson is the person who usually makes those calls, and this one took a goal away from the Canes, who thought they had tied the score at 2-2 on Jack Drury’s rebound goal with 16:32 left in the second.

Breakaways

The Flyers won just 29% of the faceoffs. … Carolina had a 33-28 shots advantage, but the Flyers outshot the Canes, 12-10, in the final period. … Ryan Poehling (zero points in eight games) was a healthy scratch. … Scott Laughton dropped down to center the fourth line and had an assist on Hathaway’s goal. Laughton was in alone with 4:48 left in the second, but Andersen turned him aside. … Opponents have scored first in four of the Flyers’ last five games. … The Flyers will host Buffalo (4-5) on Wednesday in the finale of a four-game homestand. They play in Buffalo on Friday.