Claude Giroux scored two first period goals. The Flyers built a 4-1 lead midway through the third period. The Islanders scored two goals in the final minutes to tie the game up before Brayden Schenn scored with 3.1 seconds leftto give the Flyers a 5-4 victory Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers had good jump to start the first period. For the first five minutes, Philadelphia had possession almost entirely in Islander territory. New York would get their legs.
Eric Boulton delivered a huge hit behind the net on Carlo Colaiacovo. Ryan White jumped to the defense of his team mate and dropped the gloves with Boulton. White took an extra minor in the exchange and New York went to the power play.
A minute into the man advantage, Nicklas Grossmann took a second Flyers penalty for delay of game. The Flyers were able to weather the storm and kill off both penalties.
Not long after the penalty kill, the Flyers found themselves up two men as Thomas Hickey and Johnny Boychuk each took minor penalties 30 seconds apart.
New York was able to kill the first penalty but Claude Giroux ended the second one early. Giroux fired home a one timer 12:54 for his 24th goal and 1-0 lead. Mark Streit and Jakub Voracek drew the assists.
Giroux would get his second of the game and 25th of the year five minutes later. The captain snapped a wrist shot home at 17:44 to give the Flyers a 2-0. Streit and Voracek once had the assists. It was just Giroux's second goal at home scored five on five.
Steve Mason stopped all 15 Islander shots in the period and the teams went to the locker room with Philadelphia holding a 2-0 advantage.
New York would get a chance to get on the board at the six minute mark of the second when Sean Couturier was whistled for hooking. The Flyers were able to kill the penalty to remain ahead 2-0.
A minute later, Mark Streit was also called for hooking. This time New York made the Flyers pay. John Tavares scored his 36th goal at 9:34 to get the Islanders on the board. Tavares tipped in a Ryan Strome shot in front.
The Flyers answered right back as Pierre-Edouard Bellemare netted his sixth of the season just a minute and twelve seconds later. Bellemare deflected a Vincent Lecavalier pass home to restore the two goal lead.
The Flyers had one chance on the power play but did not capitalize and the second period ended with Philadelphia ahead 3-1.
Carlo Colaiacovo netted his second of the year just over two minutes into the third to give the Flyers a 4-1 lead. Zac Rinaldo made a nice pass to Colaiacovo in the slot and he buried behind Jaroslav Halak.
The Islanders would not go away. Anders Lee scored his 24th of the season at 8:21 to cut the lead back down to two at 4-2. Mason made the initial save on Josh Bailey but could not control the rebound and Lee cleaned it up.
The Islanders had a chance to close within one when Michael Raffl took a roughing penalty at 13:26. New York could not score and the lead remained two.
The Islanders closed to one at 18:16 as Johnny Boychuk with the goalie pulled to make it 4-3.
Anders Lee would tie it up with 28 seconds remaining. The Islanders won an offensive zone draw and lee was left alone in front and beat Mason for his 25th of the season.
With just seconds left, Brayden Schenn took an innocent looking wrist shot from just inside the blueline and it somehow beat Jaroslav Halak. Schenn's 17th came with just 3.1 seconds remaining in regulation.
Steve Mason made 36 saves in for the win. Halak made 22 in the losing effort. The Flyers will next be in action on Thursday as they host the Hurricanes.
Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074
