The Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Montreal Canadiens, 4-2, at Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Montreal controlled the opening period. The Flyers came on over the final 40 minutes but never caught up on the scoreboard.
Cole Caufield and Florian Xhekaj built a 2-0 lead for Montreal in the first period. In the middle frame, Anthony Richard and Owen Tippett (power play) sandwiched goals around a Nick Suzuki tally.
Montreal scored on their first shot of the game. In the opening minute of the first period, Sean Couturier turned the puck over in the offensive zone. Montreal attacked 3-on-2 on transition. After crisp passes from Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson, Caufield one-timed home a shot from the left circle.
At 9:58, Florian Xhekaj scored on a bleeder from the top of the right circle. The sequence started with loose coverage by Philly. Tyler Thorpe and Luke Tuch drew the assists.
Early in the second period, the Flyes let a lengthy 5-on-3 go by the wayside. Nicolas Deslauriers dropped the gloves with Florian Xhejkaj, which seemed to give the Flyers a jolt of much-needed energy.
Anthony Richard put on a burst of speed to score a goal at 11:11. Dennis Gilbert earned the lone assist, forcing a turnover. Nick Suzuki scored high to the short (glove) side at 16:05 to temporarily restore a two-goal lead for Montreal. Juraj Slafkovsky and Caufield earned the assists.
Rodrigo Abols goaded Arber Xhekaj into a double-minor penalty. On the ensuing power play, Tippett wired home a goal from just below the left dot. Christian Dvorak and Travis Sanheim picked up the apples.
1. Big chance for Bump.
Rookie winger Alex Bump got better as the game moved along. He was particularly effective in the third period. However, he was unable to get on the scoresheet. Overall, he had two shots on goal (six shot attempts) and a blocked shot in 15:20 of ice time.
2. A look at Luchanko.
Flyers 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko had his legs going in the first period. Overall, he skated 15:39 (two shot attempts, 1-for-5 on faceoffs, two hits, and had one giveaway. He lost a puck on a late-game power play leading up to Arber Xhekaj's empty net goal.
3. Ersson between the pipes.
Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson had no chance on Caufield's goal. He'd have liked to have Xhekaj's goal back. Overall, Ersson allowed two goals on nine shots. Aleksei Kolosov (13 saves on 14 shots) entered at the start of the second period. On the Montreal end, Jakub Dobes (nine saves on nine shots) went 30:57 before giving way to Kaapo Kahkonen (10 saves on 12 shots).
4. Captain Coots.
The captain skated 20:16. Couturier's uncharacteristic first-period turnover led to the Caufield goal on a 3-on-2 transition rush. He had one shot on goal, three hits and went 8-for-17 on faceoffs.
5. Blueline workhorse Sanheim.
The back-to-back Barry Ashbee Trophy winner turned in 26:20 of work on this night: four blocked shots, two shots on goal on five attempts, and a power play assist.
