Flyers Postgame Report: Tippett Caps Off Comeback Win in OT

Seven of the Flyers 14 wins on the season entering Saturday night’s game had come beyond regulation. In the final home game of 2024, the Flyers added one more for good measure.

A four-goal third period that featured three game-tying goals set the stage for overtime, where Owen Tippett finished off a four-point game with the overtime winner in a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Wells Fargo Center.

The Blue Jackets scored the lone goal of the opening period off a Flyers turnover. Jamie Drysdale gave the puck away to Mathieu Olivier. His initial shot was stopped, but Kent Johnson was able to get him the rebound with Sam Ersson down and out for his ninth goal of the season at 15:47.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 10-8 Flyers.

The Blue Jackets extended the lead at 7:05 of the second off another miscue. Ersson misplayed the puck behind the net, allowing Sean Kuraly to center for Mykael Pyyhtia to make it 2-0 with his third of the season into an empty net.

The Flyers appeared to get a goal back at 14:20. Olle Lycksell got the puck alone in front and beat Elvis Merzlikins on the backhand. But after a coach’s challenge, the play was determined to be offside and the Blue Jackets maintained the 2-0 lead.

Through two periods, shots were 16-15 Flyers.

The Flyers got two quick goals to tie the game up at two. At 6:53, Morgan Frost finished off a nice setup from Tippett to make it 2-1. Less than two minutes later, Noah Cates put home a rebound to make it 2-2 with his fifth goal of the season.

Columbus got the lead right back at 10:01. Kirill Marchenko finished off his 12th goal of the season after a failed clear by the Flyers to make it 3-2. Again, the Flyers had an answer at 11:51, as Frost scored his second goal of the period to make it 3-3.

With 4:11 to play, the Blue Jackets took the lead again as Jake Christiansen threw a shot on goal that beat Ersson to make it 4-3. With Ersson pulled moments later, Tyson Foerster redirected a Travis Konecny shot to tie the game back up with 1:44 remaining.

That forced overtime, where Tippett finished off an odd-man rush with 1:30 to play to give the Flyers the win.

Ersson made 21 saves on 25 shots in the win. Merzlikins made 25 saves on 30 shots in the loss.

In addition to Tippett’s four-point game, Konecny had three assists, and Cates, Frost, and Foerster each had two points. Dmitri Voronkov had two assists for Columbus.

The Flyers have one more game remaining before the holiday break on Monday night, taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• CBJ Mathieu Olivier (9) (Kent Johnson) 15:47

2nd Period

• CBJ Mykael Pyyhtia (3) (Sean Kuraly) 7:05

3rd Period

• PHI Morgan Frost (5) (Owen Tippett) 6:53
• PHI Noah Cates (5) (Scott Laughton, Cam York) 8:48
• CBJ Kirill Marchenko (12) (Dmitry Voronkov, Ivan Provorov) 10:01
• PHI Frost (6) (Tippett, Travis Konecny) 11:51
• CBJ Jake Christiansen (1) (Voronkov) 15:49
• PHI Tyson Foerster (9) (Konecny, Tippett) 18:16

Overtime

• PHI Tippett (11) (Cates) 3:30

Game Statistics