Postgame RAV4: Flyers Drop 2-1 OT Verdict to Oilers

The Philadelphia Flyers lost in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers, 2-1, at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday night. Portions of the game -- the first 10 minutes and the third period -- were well played by Philly. The team missed the net on some of its better scoring chances, however.

In other segments -- the latter half of the first period and most of the middle frame -- the Flyers had trouble generating attacks and had to go into bend-but-don't-break mode in the defensive zone.

Evan Bouchard (3rd goal of the season) gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the first period. Matvei Michkov (PPG, 4th) tied the game on the man advantage in the latter portion of the second period.

The Flyers had a would-be go-ahead goal from Travis Konecny disallowed on replay in the final minute of regulation. Jack Roslovic (5th) won the game for Edmonton at 1:19 of sudden death.

First period synopsis

The Flyers smothered the Oilers for the first six minutes of the game. However, Vladar had to make a 10-bell save to deny Vasily Podkolzin on a 2-on-1 rush. Overall, Edmonton struggled to gain entries through the Flyers' 1-2-2 in the neutral zone.

Matvei Michkov made a nearly impossible play from below the goal line to create a scoring chance with everything seemingly bottled up. Shot on goal were tied at 5-5 through 13:36. Scoring chances were 8-1 Flyers, however.

The Oilers went to the game's first power play at 13:43. Nick Seeler went off for hooking Podkolzin below the goal line. With play back at 5-on-5, Vladar made a routine save.He was run into by Curtis Lazar, to the Flyers' displeasure.

Edmonton threw a lot of rubber toward the net but Vladar saw most of it. Edmonton took a 1-0 lead at 19:05 as McDavid scooped up a puck and fed a mid-center slot shot to Bouchard, who scored. Matt Savoie got the second assist.

Shots: Flyers 5 - Oilers 12

Faceoffs: Flyers 2- Oilers 12

Notable:

• Overall scoring chances were 7-3 in the Flyers' favor but most of it came in the earlier half of the first period. The Flyers did not generate enough offense overall.
• Sean Couturier uncharacteristically was just 1-for-7 on faceoffs.
• Philly blocked seven shots in the first period.

Second period synopsis

Travis Konecny threw a puck from the defensive half boards behind the net with only Edmonton players in the vicinity. The Flyers escaped damage.

The Flyers were unable to generate any attack or get out of their own zone through six minutes. Shots on goal were 6-0 Edmonton (5-0 scoring chances including 2-0 in high-danger).

Around 10:30, Nick Seeler got a rise from the crowd as he knocked down McDavid with a solid hit. However, the Oilers remained on the forecheck. Vladar made a routine save at 14:04 for a stoppage. Shots on goal were 11-1 Edmonton (10-3 in scoring chances).

Owen Tippett used his feet well and drew a hooking penalty on Jake Walman at 14:38. The Flyers went to the power play for the first time. The Flyers struck to get the game tied ar 15:38. Mickkov moved south into a shot and fired it home from the left circle through a Tippett screen. The primary assist went to Cam York with Konecny getting the second helper.

Shots: Flyers 6 (11 overall) - Oilers 12 (25 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 6 (8 overall) - Oilers 9 (21 overall)

Notable:

• Vladar nursed the Flyers through the period until they were able to finally start generating a little bit of offense of their own.
• The Flyers' had a prime scoring chance on their power play before Michkov tallied midway, York got a point shot on the net with both Konecny and Michkov in front. Skinner escaped that one but the reprieve was temporary.
• Scoring chances (all situations) were 12-6 Oilers, with a 17-13 edge through two periods.

Third period synopsis

Right off the drop of the opening center ice faceoff, Cates was penalized for high-sticking (0:03). The Flyers killed it off successfully.

Behind a play moving the other way, Konecny agitated Ty Emberson into a holding penalty at 4:12. Foerster ripped a shot from the top of the left circle just wide with 10 second remaining.

Christian Dvorak saw time on a third period line with Couturier and Konecny.

The whistle blew amid an escalating scrum at 14:25 after Trent Frederic ran into Vladar. The penalties resulted in a Flyers power play: Mattias Janmark (unsportsmanlike conduct), Frederic (goalie interference), Vladar (roughing). The Flyers were unable to capitalize, however.

Vladar made a huge save on McDavid coming down the left side with about 90 seconds left in regulation. That set the stage for the game-winning goal.

With 23.5 seconds remaining, Konecny tipped home a Sanheim shot for an apparent 2-1 lead. The play was reviewed in Toronto and overturned based on Tippett going offside on entry. The game went to OT.

Shots: Flyers 9 (20 overall) - Oilers 5 (30 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 7 (15 overall) - Oilers 11 (32 overall)

Notable:

• A strong overall third period for the Flyers. The offside ruling,although the correct call, was a tough pill to swallow: the third time already this season the Flyers have had a would-be winning goal late in regulation or OT overturned.
• The Flyers missed the net 13 times in regulation. Many of these were on the team's better looks at the net.
• Nicolas Deslauriers was credited with eight hits.
• Final all-situation scoring chances were 26-25 Flyers (11-11 high danger).

Overtime synopsis

Couturier snapped a shot on net. The Flyers got away with a bad line change.

The game ended at 1:19. Cam York went down at the blueline and Roslovic scored on a 2-on-1 off a feed from Matt Savoie.

Shots: Flyers 1 (21 overall) - Oilers 2 (32 overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 1 (15 overall) - Oilers 1 (33 overall)

Flyers Starting Lineup

Trevor Zegras – Sean Couturier – Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Owen Tippett – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Nicolas Deslauriers – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway

Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae – Noah Juulsen

Dan Vladar
[Samuel Ersson]

Postgame Rav4: (Rav4 Things Revisited)

1. Cates line reunion

With Tyson Foerster activated off IR, the trio of Noah Cates centering Foerster and Bobby Brink was back together on Wednesday. Foerster was a game-day decision earlier in the day.

2. Contain McDavid and Draisaitl

Cates, Sean Couturier, Cam York and Travis Sanheim were assigned the heavy-lifting duties against Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Cates went against McDavid, while Couturier got the bulk of the duty against Draisaitl. The Flyers limited McDavid to one shot on goal and one assist. Draisaitl, in 22 minutes of ice time, was held pointless and without a single shot on goal.

3. Make the Oilers defend

The offensively potent Oilers entered the game with the 28th-ranked goals against average. It was imperative for the Flyers to force Edmonton to defend much more than they attacked. That didn't happen often enough. However, the Flyers defended quite well overall: both through the neutral zone and keeping Edmonton on the perimeter in the attack zone.

4. Michkov looks for a 3-game goal streak.

The Russian winger secured the feat with his second period power play tally. It's the first three-game goal streak of his career. He'll look to make it four in St. Louis on Friday evening.