Postgame RAV4: Flyers Fall to Pens

The Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3, at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday evening. The big difference was special teams play. The Flyers are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

Justin Brazeau (PPG, 13th) gave the Penguins a quick lead early in the first period. In the middle stages of the frame, Bryan Rust (PPG, 17th) doubled the lead.

Early in the second period, Egor Chinakhov (6th) built a 3-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, Rodrigo Abols (3rd) got the Flyers on the board. Late in the period, Noel Acciari (5th) made it a 4-1 game.

Closely spaced third-period goals by Sidney Crosby (PPG, 25th) and Connor Dewar (9th) opened a five-goal lead. Goals by Nick Seeler (2nd) and Matvei Michkov (10th) closed out the scoring.

Samuel Ersson was pulled after 22:06 in net, allowing three goals on 14 shots. In relief, Aleksei Kolosov stopped 13 of 16 shots. Jeff Skinner earned the win with 30 stops on 33 shots.

FIRST PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Just 23 seconds after the opening faceoff of the game, Cam York took a hooking penalty on Sidney Crosby. At 2:16, Brazeau was all alone near the net and scored a back-door power play goal for a 1-0 lead. The assists went to Bem Kindel and Anthony Mantha.

The Penguins went back to the power play at 3:53 as Travis Sanheim clipped Bryan Rust with a high stick. The Flyers killed off this penalty.

Denver Barkey led a 2-on-1 with Sean Couturier at 6:43, drawing a Blake Lizotte slashing penalty. Barkey very nearly scored during the delayed call. On the ensuing 5-on-4, the Flyers were unable to generate any significant pressure.

At 12:11, the Flyers took their third minor of the first period. Garnet Hathaway was called for tripping. Rust beat Ersson to the glove side for a 2-0 lead at 12:25. The assists went to Kris Letang and Crosby.

Including the earlier Brazeau goal, the Rust tally marked the 11th opposing power play goal the Flyers have allowed in eight games. It was the Penguins' sixth power play goal against the Flyers this season on 11 opportunities.

Philly went to their second power play of the period as Jack St.Ivany interfered with Travis Konecny in the neutral zone. Jamie Drysdale had a good keep at the blueline and sent a pass to Konecny, whose shot was blocked. Christian Dvorak (deflection) and York (point shot) had shots on goal.

Shots: Flyers 7 - Penguins 14
Faceoffs: Flyers 9 -Penguins 12

SECOND PERIOD SYNOPSIS

The Penguins had a mini 2-on-1, Chinakhov cut to the net to take an Evgeni Malkin feed and score. The second assist at 1:16 went to Thomas Novak.

Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet made a goaltending chance. Aleksei Kolosov entered the game in relief of Ersson.

Philly got a goal back at 2:17. Cam York's left point shot was deflected home by Abols to cut the gap to 3-1. The second assist went to Carl Grundstrom who made an initial play along the wall.

The Flyers had seven of the frame's first nine shots on goal. A few shifts later, Michkov and Barkey worked a well-conceived play in the attack zone. Barkey had his second golden scoring chance of the game but was unable to finish.

At 18:29, after Pittsburgh got the puck in front, Acciari scored for a 4-1 lead. The lone assist went to Lizotte.

Shots: Flyers 14 (21 overall) - Penguins 16 (25 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 10 (19 overall) - Penguins 5 (17 overall)

THIRD PERIOD SYNOPSIS

Trevor Zegras had a chance in close in the opening minute of the period. Travis Sanheim made the initial play.

At 1:32, Michkov took exception to a hit on Barkey by Lizotte. The Flyer was called for roughing and fighting. Lizotte received just the fighting major. Yet another Penguins power play goal resulted. A failed clear was the culprit. Eventually, Malkin found Crosby at the back door for a 5-1 lead at 3:10.

At 4:27, the lead swelled to 6-1. Emil Andrae turned the puck over and Dewar converted a setup from Novak.

Barkey gained an entry. Michkov moved the puck inside. Noah Juulsen got the puck to defense partner who fired a shot upstairs at 10:54. The assists went to Barkey and Juulsen.

Letang boarded York at 11:30. The Flyers went to the power play. The Flyers were unable to score. They went back to a 5-on-4 as Grundstrom was tripped by Novak at 14:00. The Flyers showed improved pressure on this power play. However, they remained unable to score.

Scoring his first non empty-net goal since late November, Michkov converted a 2-on-1 feed from Barkey to reduce the deficit to 6-3 at 17:25.

Shots: Flyers 12 (33 overall) - Penguins 5 (30 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 7 (26 overall) - Penguins 10 (27 overall)

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Nikita Grebenkin – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Trevor Zegras -- Noah Cates -- Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Sean Couturier – Denver Barkey
Carl Grundstrom – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway

Cam York -- Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae -- Jamie Drydale
Nick Seeler -- Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson
[Aleksei Kolosov]

Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. Restoring structure

The Flyers 5-on-5 structure was OK in the first period but penalties hurt. So did losing 50/50 battles on the boards. On the penalty kill, the Flyers were caught over-pursuing. After allowing an early second period transition goal, the Flyers had the better of the play for the next eight or nine minutes. Turnovers proved costly later, resulting in a fourth Pittsburgh goal. The issues compounded early in the third period.

2. Between the pipes

On the third Pittsburgh goal, Chinakhov sent the puck off Ersson's chest and into the net as he moved laterally on a 2-on-1. Kolosov held the fort until the Penguins pulled away late in the second period and early in the final stanza.

3. Special teams

Both ends of special teams have been a sore spot for the Flyers of late. In the first period against Pittsburgh, the Penguins bagged two power play goals, while Philadelphia failed to capitalize on two power plays of their own. In the third period, the Flyers' PK yielded again.

Overall, the Flyers went 0-for-4 on the power play. They were just 1-for-4 on the penalty kill.

4. Tippett heating up

Flyers winger Owen Tippett entered the game with a goal in two of his last three games. On Thursday, he did not record a point. Overall, however, he had five shots on goal in nine shot attempts.