Postgame RAV4: Flyers Fall in Shootout

The Philadelphia Flyers lost via shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1 (1-0), at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night. The intensity and nastiness ratcheted up as the game progressed.

Kirill Marchenko (25th goal of the season, 100th career NHL tally) gave Columbus a 1-0 lead early in the first period. In the middle stages of the period, an Alex Bump deflection goal (2nd) knotted the score.

After allowing a lot of scoring chances in the first period, the checking tightened in a feisty middle frame. Neither team could score but Philly had extended carryover power play time heading into the second period.

The Flyers failed to turn the power play into a goal. They ended up going to sudden death.

Dan Vladar stopped 29 of 30 shots through 65 minutes. Jet Greaves denied 18 of 19. Kirill Marchenko notched the lone shootout goal for either team.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

On the game's second shift, Nikita Grebenkin tipped a dangerous shot 10 feet from net. The puck stayed out.

Vladar made an excellent initial save on a scoring chance and then Kent Johnson hit the post. At the other end, Travis Konecny made a cross-seam pass to Christian Dvorak. Greaves made the save on the 15-foot scoring chance at 3:51.

Konecny went down near the net  Columbus took a 1-0 lead at 4:21 during the ongoing scramble. Marchenko got the goal, assisted by Adam Fantilli and Damon Severson.

Columbus continued to push. Through 10 minutes, shots were 10-5 Blue Jackets.

With Bump screening in front, the Flyers tied the game as the rookie deflected an  Andrae shot off the net's back bar and out. After a video review, the initial no-goal ruling on the ice was reversed. Time of the goal was 10:23. The assists went to Andrae and Dvorak.

Vladar made a very tough save on Sean Monahan to keep the score tied.

At 14:13, Denver Barkey skated in to forecheck in deep. Marchenko hit him from behind into the wall. Initially ruled a major, the call was reduced to a boarding minor upon review. The Flyers had OK possession time but passed up their best shot opportunity of the two minutes.

Matvei Michkov and Adam Fantilli jostled and the buzzer. Nothing escalated.

High danger chances were 7-5 Columbus for the period. Dvorak won four of six faceoffs for Philly.Additionally, Philly blocked seven shots.

Shots: Flyers 6 - Blue Jackets 13
Faceoffs: Flyers 12 - Blue Jackets 10

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Dvorak fed Konecny near the right post for a scoring chance on the period's second shift. At 2:33, Ristolainen did a good job at boxing out in front of the net to give Vladar a clear view of a point shot.

Zegras started a near tic-tac-toe play. Greaves denied Tippett at the doorstep on Philly's second shot on net of the period. Through 9:11, shots were 4-2 Columbus.

Carl Grundstrom delivered a hit on Severson behind the net. Immediately, at 12:18, he had to fight Severson. The penalties evened out and manpower stayed the same. Fantilli appeared to be the instigator but got a roughing minor instead. Grundstrom got a boarding minor on top of the matching fighting majors.

Luke Glendening was denied on a partial breakaway chance off a Nikita Grebenkin lead pass. Philly went to the power play at 17:38 on a Cole Sillinger crosscheck on Grebenkin.

With two seconds left in the penalty, Columbus went after Barkey for a hit on Severson behind the net. Severson received a cross-checking double minor at 19:35. The Flyers won the draw. With 4.8 seconds left in the period, Konecny fired a shot on goal from the top of the right circle. Zegras attempted to tip the puck but was unable.

Philly took 3:36 of carryover power play time into the third period.

Shots: Flyers 4 (11 overall) - Blue Jackets 9 (21 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 7 (19 overall) - Blue Jackets 13 (23 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

The Flyers generated one flurry -- and nothing else thereafter -- on the 3:36 of carryover power play time. The score remained tied at 1-1.

Ristolainen took a tripping minor at 7:29. Dvorak made an important defensive zone clear. Sanheim broke up a play down low.  The Flyers goalie made a glove side pick on Ivan Provorov.

Noah Cates prevented a goal -- and didn't take a penalty -- on a very dangerous sequence near the Philly net. Through 13:30, shots on goal were 5-2 Flyers. At 14:31, Vladar made a clean save despite getting bumped. 

At 15:30, the Flyers recovered from a Konecny turnover.

Shots: Flyers 6 (17 overall) - Blue Jackets 10 (31 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 8 (27 overall) - Blue Jackets 11 (33 overall)

OVERTIME SYNOPSIS

Zegras and Michkov had a 2-on-1 rush chance in the final half minute. They were unable to connect. Ristolainen missed a potential buzzer beater. Neither team had an official shot on goal.

SHOOTOUT SYNOPSIS

* 1st round: Greaves stopped Michkov at the left post. Johnson hit Vladar in the chest.

* 2nd round: Greaves denied Zegras' backhander. Vladar denied Fantilli

* 3rd round: Greaves made a glove save on Konecny. Marchenko ended the shoothand with a backhand goal.

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Alex Bump - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Nikita Grebenkin -Trevor Zegras- Owen Tippett
Denver Barkey - Noah Cates - Matvei Michkov
Carl Grundstrom - Sean Hathaway- Luke Glendening 

Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - Emil Andrae

Dan Vladar
[Samuel Ersson]

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Play from ahead

The Flyers found themselves trailing first once again but soon found a way to get the match knotted.

2. Tippett on a tear

Through two periods, Owen Tippett had a couple of scoring chances but only one shot on goal in six attempts (four got blocked, one missed the net). Through regulation (19:18 TOI), he had two shots on goal on seven attempts.

3. Special teams

A pivotal juncture of the game: Philadelphia's extensive power play time late in the second period into the start of the third period. They were unable to turn it into a go-ahead goal.