Flyers Rally Past Oilers in OT for 7th Straight Win

(Photo: Kate Frese)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers bid for a seventh straight win was in serious jeopardy until another third-period rally. The power play scored four goals in the game, including two in the third to erase a two-goal deficit and force overtime.

In overtime, Nolan Patrick was the hero, scoring the game-winning goal to give the Flyers their seventh straight win, 5-4, over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon.

The Flyers came out and got an early power play and continued their success from Thursday's game in Boston. Claude Giroux started a tic-tac-toe passing play, going cross-ice to Jake Voracek, who sent a pass in front for the tap in by Sean Couturier for his 20th goal of the season to make it 1-0 Flyers just 3:10 into the game.

After the Flyers early goal, it was all Oilers for the rest of the first. Edmonton out-shot the Flyers, 18-7, in the first period and capitalized on a couple of chances.

The Flyers got caught in the offensive zone and the speed of the Oilers top line took over, with Milan Lucic springing Ty Rattie on a breakaway with Connor McDavid joining to make it a 2-on-0. Rattie took it himself and beat Hart with a low backhand past the right pad to tie the game at one at 8:03.

With just 2:27 remaining in the period, McDavid made one of his spectacular plays as the Oilers caught the Flyers with the fourth line and third pairing on the ice. McDavid sped up the wing with Radko Gudas and Phil Varone trying to keep pace. Robert Hagg was late coming over to play the shot and McDavid released a perfectly placed shot to the corner over the shoulder of Hart to make it 2-1 Oilers after the first period.

The Oilers continue to pepper the Flyers goal with 17 more shots in the second period. Hart came up with some key saves, but again the Oilers were able to extend the lead.

Shortly after a power play expired for the Oilers, a good cycle got the puck along the left circle to Adam Larsson. Larsson moved in and fired a shot high to the stick side of Hart for his second goal of the season to make it 3-1.

The Flyers had a power play opportunity shortly after and failed to score, but got another late in the period and turned it into a goal. Giroux got off a shot from a distance at the right circle and beat Cam Talbot to cut the lead to one with 3:06 to play in the period. 

Hart had to make a pair of excellent saves at the other end shortly after the Flyers goal, keeping the Flyers in the game after 40 minutes. Shots through the second period were 35-19 Oilers.

The Flyers got their chance to tie the game early in the third. Instead, the Oilers took advantage of a Flyers turnover and extended the lead.

Zack Kassian got a breakaway off a turnover by Shayne Gostisbehere and went the other way on a breakaway and beat Hart through the five-hole.

Just 27 seconds later, the Flyers got it right back. Out of a netmouth scramble, Oskar Lindblom fed the puck across the crease to Travis Konecny for the goal to cut the lead back to one. 

Back on the power play with just over nine minutes to go, the Flyers got the game tied. Giroux took a shot from the left circle that left a rebound and Wayne Simmonds was there to pump it home with 8:58 to play. 

Play settled down in the later stages, but the Flyers nearly found a way to score late in the third. In the closing seconds of regulation, Nolan Patrick was stopped by Talbot in front and Scott Laughton was robbed on a rebound chance before lifting another rebound over the net. Instead, the game headed to overtime, the second straight game for the Flyers that required extra time.

There was no denying Patrick in the overtime. A brilliant setup by James van Riemsdyk got the puck in front to Patrick who lifted a shot over Talbot for the game-winner.

Hart picked up another win for the Flyers, making a career-high 40 saves in the win. Talbot made 34 saves in the loss.

The Flyers are back on the ice on Monday night to face the Vancouver Canucks. Game time is 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Sean Couturier (20) PP (Jake Voracek, Claude Giroux) 3:10
• EDM Ty Rattie (3) (Milan Lucic) 8:03
• EDM Connor McDavid (30) (Zach Kassian, Jujhar Khaira) 17:33

2nd Period

• EDM Adam Larsson (2) (Kevin Gravel, McDavid) 8:19
• PHI Giroux (16) PP (Shayne Gostisbehere, Voracek) 16:54

3rd Period

• EDM Zack Kassian (6) SH (Unassisted) 4:07
• PHI Travis Konecny (14) PP (Oskar Lindblom, Couturier) 4:34
• PHI Wayne Simmonds (16) PP (Giroux, Voracek) 11:02

Overtime

• PHI Nolan Patrick (10) (James van Riemsdyk, Travis Sanheim) 2:01

Game Statistics