Sharknado Lands; Flyers Routed By San Jose

Joe Pavelski led the way with a hat trick as San Jose routed the Flyers Thursday night (Image courtesy of CBSsports.com)

Joe Pavelski recorded a hat trick for San Jose, as the Sharks used a five-goal second period to rout Flyers 7-3, as both teams returned to action following the Olympic break.

Raffi Torres also potted two goals in his first game of the season, while Logan Couture added his 15^th and 16^th goals of the season in his first game back from a wrist injury. Jason Demers, Andrew Desjardins, and Patrick Marleau each had two assists for San Jose. Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock was strong in net, stopping 27-30. San Jose has now won four of five, with their only loss coming February 3^rd against the Flyers.

Andrej Meszaros and Brayden Schenn scored for the Flyers while Matt Read added a goal and an assist. Philadelphia had both goalies see action tonight, as Steve Mason was lifted in the second period after allowing four goals. Ray Emery came in in relief and allowed three goals on 14 shots, before Mason returned again. Mason would ultimately stop 11 of 15 shots faced. The Flyers saw their four-game winning streak prior to the break come to an end.

After a two-week hiatus, the Flyers returned to the ice only to be the minnow in San Jose’s shark attack.

Torres opened the scoring 4:25 into the first period as he banged home a rebound that Mason could not see. Sharks defenseman Jason Demers fired a shot from the point that was redirected by center Andrew Desjardins. Mason would make the initial save, but as he searched for the rebound, Torres would come from behind the net to pot his first goal of the season in his first game.

The Flyers would battle back by scoring two goals in 22 seconds to take a 2-1 lead into intermission.

Andrej Meszaros would score the Flyers first goal, his fifth goal of the season, on a touch pass from Steve Downie. Moments later, Vincent Lecavalier would blast the puck off the end boards that took a big bounce to Brayden Schenn, who would score his 16^th goal of the season by banking it off Sharks defenseman Jason Demers.

The second period was a different story all together, as the Flyers came out listless and San Jose’s feeding frenzy began. Pavelski scored his first goal on the power play at 4:23. He would collect his second goal of the game at the 10:12 mark of the period, and Logan Couture would follow Pavelski’s goal just 35 seconds later.

Following Couture’s first goal of the night, the Flyers pulled Mason. Emery would not fare much better. Pavelski would net his third goal of the game and 32^nd of the season at the 14:10 mark. Raffi Torres would finish off the five-goal second period by potting his second goal of the game and season with just under three seconds remaining.

The Flyers were booed as they left the ice.

Facing a 6-2 deficit entering the third period, the Flyers failed to come out with energy. Early in the period Philadelphia went on the power play only to allow their league leading 9^th short handed goal, as Couture scored his 16^th of the season and second of the game.

Following the game, Flyers head coach Craig Berube was blunt saying, “We’re all embarrassed tonight.”

Berube also noted that he expected the team to come out playing hard Saturday at home against the New York Rangers.

Game Notes: Kimmo Timonen’s next game with the Flyers will be his 500^th…Philadelphia was 0/5 on the power play…Logan Couture had his first potential career hat trick overturned…Steve Mason reentered the game in the third period…This was the third time this year the Flyers have allowed seven goals in a game…