Cates’ Short-Handed Goal Lifts Flyers Over Kings

The year 2022 started without a win for the Flyers for 12 games, a streak that totalled 13 straight losses and was finally snapped on Jan. 29 against the Los Angeles Kings. In their final game of 2022, the Flyers once again faced the Kings and picked up a win.

The game-winning goal came from a player who didn’t start 2022 with the Flyers, but in the college ranks. Noah Cates has played in 53 games since making his debut on March 29, and picked up a short-handed goal with 6:59 left in the third period to lift the Flyers to a 4-2 win over the Kings on Saturday afternoon.

The Kings had several power-play chances early and used a 1:52 5-on-3 to capitalize first. Adrian Kempe fired a shot that Samuel Ersson got a piece of, but couldn’t keep out of the net to make it 1-0 Los Angeles at 9:46.

The Flyers tied the game on a power play of their own as Scott Laughton scored on a one-timer at 12:15 to make it a 1-1 game.

Less than a minute later, the Kings answered back to regain the lead. Phillip Danault fired a blast off the rush to make it 2-1 at 13:12.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 11-10 Los Angeles.

Midway through the second, the Flyers got the game tied again. Owen Tippett made a move around a defender before firing a shot home for his 12th goal of the season at 9:02 to make it a 2-2 game.

Through two periods, shots were 18-15 Kings.

With 7:44 to play in the third, the Flyers faced a critical juncture of the game being short-handed. As they have several times recently, they found a way while down a man to make something happen.

Cates put a shot on goal through a screen during the penalty kill that beat Jonathan Quick, making it a 3-2 game with 6:59 to go.

With under a minute to play, the Flyers iced the game with an empty-net goal by Travis Konecny, his 18th of the season.

Ersson made 27 saves on 29 shots in the win. Quick made 19 saves on 22 shots in the loss.

Tippett, Laughton, and Cates each had a goal and an assist in the win.

The Flyers return to the ice on Monday night to close out the road trip against the Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• LA Adrian Kempe (14) PP (Drew Doughty, Kevin Fiala) 9:46
• PHI Scott Laughton (8) PP (Cam York, Owen Tippett) 12:15
• LA Phillip Danault (12) (Viktor Arvidsson) 13:12

2nd Period

• PHI Tippett (12) (Tony DeAngelo, James van Riemsdyk) 9:02

3rd Period

• PHI Noah Cates (4) SH (Unassisted) 13:01
• PHI Travis Konecny (18) EN (Laughton, Cates) 19:33