Postgame 5: Late Flyers Attack Falls Short, 2-1

The Philadelphia Flyers lost, 2-1, to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY, on Wednesday evening. The Flyers fell to 0-2-0 on the preseason, while the Islanders evened their exhibition mark to 1-1-0.

Philadelphia's overall performance was vastly improved from Monday's road loss to the New Jersey Devils. There were significant stretches where the Flyers pressured in the Isles' zone. However, they remained unable to score until the final 2:22 of this game.

The Flyers trailed 1-0 after the first period, as Simon Holmström (1st of the preseason) scored on a deflection. Mathew Barzal and Travis Mitchell received the assists at 12:38,

New York doubled the lead to 2-0 in the middle frame. At the 14:00 mark, with Scott Laughton in the penalty box for holding Mathew Barzal, Julien Gauthier (1st) turned a broken play into a power play goal. Robin Salo whiffed on a shot. The Flyers couldn't get possession and it went to goal scorer Gauthier. Holmström was credited with the secondary assist.

With the Flyers' net empty and Philly attacking 6-on-5, Ryan Poehling (1st) scored the team's first goal of the season at 17:38 of the third period. The puck caromed off the end boards to Poehling in front of the net, and he finished off the play. Noah Cates and Scott Laughton drew the assists.

The Flyers had one last chance to tie the game, but Scott Laughton wasn't able to find the net with 3.3 seconds remaining on the clock. 

Felix Sandström started the game in net for the Flyers, stopping five of six shots. Samuel Ersson went the rest of the way. Ersson denied 12 of 13 shots.  For the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin started the game and played 30:33. Sorokin turned aside all 12 shots he faced. Ken Appleby went the final 29:27, making 17 saves on 18 shots.

The Flyers went 0-for-3 on the power play. New York was 1-for-4.

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Scott Laughton - Noah Cates -Samu Tuomaala
Nic Deslauriers - Ryan Poehling - Garnet Hathaway
Zayde Wisdom - Rhet Gardner- Wade Allison
Brendan Furry - Tanner Laczynski - Cooper Marody

Victor Mete - Ronnie Attard
Adam Ginning - Emil Andrae
Adam Karashik - Louie Belpedio

Felix Sandström
Samuel Ersson 

PP1: Tuomaala, Cates, Poehling, Laughton, Andrae
PP2: Marody, Laczynski, Wisdom, Mete, Attard

POSTGAME 5

1. Over the first 40 minutes of the game, the Flyers' best scoring chance came from Tanner Laczynski, who hit the post on his opportunity. The Flyers also drew iron on Monday on a third period chance from Matt Brown.

2.  Sandström and Ersson were both sharp in net for the Flyers, although Sandström only saw six shots in his one period of action.

3. The Flyers first power play of the game failed to generate any shots on goal. Their second, however, created four shots but Philly was unable to convert for a goal. On the Flyers' third opportunity on the man advantage, Scott Laughton came close to scoring.

4. The Islanders were plagued with turnovers -- both forced and unforced -- in the third period. Philadelphia was the better team for the majority of the final stanza, especially the opening 10 minutes. Overall, the Flyers held a 12-3 shot advantage in the final stanza. 

5. Ronnie Attard had two good scoring opportunities -- one at even strength and the other on the power play -- in the third period. Ditto Laughton. Ryan Poeling, in addition to his eventual goal, was lurking around the scoring area a couple other times in the final stanza.