POSTGAME 5: Going the Distance

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
A double-overtime goal by Ivan Provorov at 15:03 of the game's fifth period sent the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders in Game 6 of their Second Round Series on Thursday night.
New York controlled puck possession for the majority of the game but the Flyers were resilient and battled hard, especially in the absence of top-line center Sean Couturier.
Oskar Lindblom dressed for Game 6 for the Flyers, playing for the first time since he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma last December and completing cancer treatments two months ago.
Counterattacking goals by Kevin Hayes at 10:16 and James van Riemsdyk at 11:52 gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the first period. Derick Brassard and Matt Martin tied the game, while a failed challenge for goalie interference on the play resulted in an Anders Lee power-play goal at 3:06 to give New York a 3-2 lead.
Michael Raffl knotted the game at 3-3 and with 30 seconds left in the period, Mathew Barzal used Travis Sanheim as a screen to restore a one-goal to the Islanders at 4-3. In the third period, the Flyers followed up a successful penalty kill shortly thereafter with a Scott Laughton breakaway goal to knot the score at 4-4.
Carter Hart authored 49 saves on 53 shots, including numerous season-saving stops. Semyon Varlamov took the loss with 26 saves on 31 shots.

MELTZER'S TAKE
* New York turnovers -- one in the neutral zone, one in the offensive zone set up counterattacks and two goals for the Flyers in the middle of the first period. On the first, Robert Hagg collected the puck and Hayes and Travis Konecny started a give-and-go that Hayes finished off. On the second, Travis Sanheim made initial play and Jakub Voracek passed to James van Riemsdyk. Channeling John LeClair, van Riemsdyk elected to fire off a slap shot from the bottom of the left circle and fired the puck past Varlamov. An undisciplined retaliatory slashing penalty by Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who had been interfered with moments earlier, set up New York's second power play of the first period. Three seconds after it expired, Brassard re-directed a Devon Toews slap pass that was so hard it broke Brassard's stick blade.
* Oskar Lindblom's first shift of the game saw him get a shot attempt (it was blocked) but then get caught out for 1:39 total on a shift the Flyers' third line got hemmed in the defensive zone for an extended time. In general, New York had the majority of the puck possession in the first period.
* Alain Vigneault is 0-for-3 on challenges in the series. Casey Cizikas slid into Hart after falling over Justin Braun's stick and Matt Martin scored through the five hole -- the sequence started at the other end with Braun's shot getting blocked. The unsuccessful challenge produced a delay of game penalty on the Flyers, Lee promptly gave New York a 3-2 lead at 3:06 on the sharp angle rebound of a Barzal shot-pass with Hart's stick up off the ice as the puck went across.
* For the second time in the series, the Flyers could see their way to the third period tied but then coughed up a puck and paid the price. Late in a long shift, Sanheim was taken off the puck by Brassard and, moments later, Barzal used him as a screen to shoot through his legs and beat Hart from the left circle to give the Isles a 4-3 lead with 30 seconds left in the second period.
* Cizikas took an overaggressive tripping penalty in the offensive zone early in the third period. Hayes hit the crossbar late in the man advantage. Lindblom made two nice subtle plays on one shift; a neutral zone forecheck play and then one on the backcheck. Mid-period, Hayes was called for a ticky-tack slash on Eberle at 7:50. As the penalty expired, Giroux sprung Scott Laughton on a breakaway. Going forehand/backhand/forehand, Laughton chipped the puck upstairs to tie the game at 4-4 at 9:53. Later, JVR had a high-tip opportunity and then a followup chance. Braun took a too-blatant-not-to-call tripping penalty with 2:42 left in the third period of a tied game in an elimination game. Hart made three saves in succession. The game went to OT with the Isles holding a 42-17 shot edge.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The Flyers will play in their 17th all-time Game 7 and first since the 2014 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series vs. New York Rangers. They are 9-7 all-time in Game 7.
* The Flyers played their seventh double overtime in history and first since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, beating the Washington Capitals, 4-3.
* The Flyers won all three games in the series in overtime. It's only the second time in franchise history they have had three games go to overtime in a single series.
* The Flyers are the eighth team in NHL history to win consecutive overtime games when facing elimination.
* The Flyers are the 32nd team in NHL history to win three overtime games in a single playoff series.
* The Flyers defense posted four points (1g-3a), in tonight's game... They have factored into 13 of the 16 goals in this series with 15 points (4g-11a) in the six games.
* Ivan Provorov scored the game-winner in overtime and led all players in the game in ice time at 38:15 and was a +3.
* The Flyers (64) and Islanders (73) combined for 137 hits in tonight's game.
* Tonight's game combined for 10 goals, which is the most in a game for either team in this year's playoffs.
* Game 7 of the series is Saturday, Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m. ET - NBC & 97.5 The Fanatic).