MELTZER'S TAKE
* The Flyers established their forecheck game in the opening half of the first period. The defense corps played an active role in pinching and Philly was able to get a cycling game going. Together for the first time in the playoffs, the trio of Scott Laughton centering James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Pitlick won several battles early. Philly had five of the game's first six shots.
* The Laughton line combined to generate the game's first goal, hemming the Islanders in their own zone. With lots of traffic in front Pitlick's shot from the left side found the net at 14:18 of the first period. The assists went to Laughton and Matt Niskanen. A few shifts later, the Laughton line pressured again and a van Riemsdyk deflection barely missed the net.
* New York carried over its late first period momentum to dominate the second period, generating each of the first 10 shots and keeping the Flyers without a shot for a span of 11:44 going back to the Pitlick goal. The Flyers didn't have their feet moving, lost most of the battles and got swarmed by New York's forecheck. Hart survived a sequence where he lost his stick, and denied Anthony Beauvillier on an odd-man rush. Finally, neutral zone and own-zone turnovers by the Flyers and a Mathew Barzal pass-out to a wide open Martin at the doorstep produced a 1-1 tie game at 7:12 as Hart got most of Barzal's shot but not quite enough.
* At 3:41 of the third period, Lee set up in his office near the net and directed a Jordan Eberle feed off the inside of Hart's stick and into the net for a 3-1 Islanders lead. The puck was misplayed by Hart.
* The Flyers had a late-game power play, generating four shots and two scrambles around the net but drew no closer during a 6-on-4 with Hart pulled for an extra attacker.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* This game marked the first time in the playoffs the Flyers scored the first goal and lost the game - they were a perfect 8-0-0 prior to tonight.
* The Flyers defense has factored into four of the five goals in this series with four points (1g-3a).
* Tyler Pitlick scored his second goal of the playoffs... Nate Thompson went 75% on face-offs, going 6-for-8, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel led all players in the game with six hits.
* Scott Laughton returned to the lineup after missing Game 2. He recorded the primary assist on the Flyers first goal.
* The Flyers and Islanders will face off in Game 4 on Sunday (8 p.m. ET - NBC & 97.5 The Fanatic).
