POSTGAME 5: Not meant to B
B's shut the door, end Flyers streak with 2-0 win
by Bill Meltzer @BillMeltzer
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
The Philadelphia Flyers saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday night as they fell, 2-0, to the Boston Bruins in a hard-fought game the Wells Fargo Center.
After 38-plus minutes of Flyers-controlled by scoreless hockey, Boston defenseman Matt Grzelczyk scored a power play goal (4th goal of the season) for a 1-0 Bruins lead. Patrice Bergeron added insurance (31st) with 5:20 left in the third period.
Carter Hart took a rare loss on home ice. He stopped 27 of 29 shots. Tuukka Rask was outstanding at the other end, earning a 36-save shutout.
Three Stars:
1st: Tuukka Rask (38 of 39 saves)
2nd: Matt Grzelcyk (1g)
3rd: Patrice Bergeron (1g)
TURNING POINT
The Flyers had a glorious chance to score on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush; their third such opportunity of the second period. Scott Laughton passed up an open shot, and the play was broken up. The Bruins moved the other way and got set up, hemming the Flyers in their zone. Finally, Grzelczyk's shot through a layered screen broke the scoreless deadlock late in the second period.
MELTZER'S TAKE
1) The Flyers came out with good pace, and set a physical tone across their early shifts. The proces was strong, but there was no payoff in the opening 20 minutes. Good work by Shayne Gostisbehere created the game's first power play. Rask made an excellent glove save to rob Travis Konecny point-blank off a feed from Jakub Voracek. The Flyers had each of the game's first two power plays but were unable to score against the NHL's 3rd-ranked PK. First period shots were 12-8 in the Flyers' favor. Attempts were 22-14 Flyers.
2) Apart from one mishandled puck that nearly proved costly, Hart was sharp in the first period. He made a tough save before the buzzer as Boston had 10 seconds of power play time to end the first period. The Bruins took 1:50 of carryover time into the second period.
3) The Flyers had three separate shorthanded 2-on-1 chances, including back-to-back ones on the same early second period kill. Rask made a tough save on Kevin Hayes on the second. The other two did not make connections. Philly continued to press hard in the second period, building a 12-6 shot edge. With Justin Braun in the penalty box for interference, Grzelcyk's point shot through heavy traffic found the net at 18:39 for a Boston power play goal.
4) Boston did an excellent close-out job in the third period. Hart came up with several good saves to keep the deficit at 1-0. Rask then stepped up to make a 10-bell pad save on Ivan Provorov from the slot. Finally, with 5:20 left in the third period, Bergeron's shot from well above the circles over the middle was accidentally deflected by Travis Sanheim and beat Hart up high.
5) With Hart pulled for an extra attacker, the Flyers had a couple of good looks at the net but hit the post on one and Rask denied the other.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The Flyers had their nine-game streak come to an end. They remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the Washington Capitals for 1st.
* Carter Hart suffered just his third regulation loss on home ice and first in nearly two months - Jan. 11 vs. Tampa.
* Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 6... He logged 16:13 of ice time.
* The Flyers suffered their third shutout loss of the year, all three of which have come on home ice.
* Derek Grant led the team with five shots on goal and the Flyers had 16 of 18 skaters register at least one shot on goal.
* The Flyers travel to Tampa to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Puck drop is 7 p.m. on NBCSP and 97.5 The Fanatic.
THEY SAID IT
Video: Hear from Flyers coach following loss to BOSVideo: Hear from Gostisbehere, Hart and Niskanen after loss