Flyers Rally Back, but Eventually Fall to Blackhawks

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

It had the feeling of a total rout. Then the Flyers showed up in a big way and use some magic to erase a huge deficit.

The Blackhawks got out to a 4-0 lead and carried it late into the second period. The Flyers answered with four goals to even things up in the third. But it wouldn't be enough as Chicago struck again midway through the third to reclaim the lead for good in the Flyers 7-4 loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday night at United Center.

It took the Blackhawks almost no time at all to get on the board. A two-on-one sparked a scoring chance. Michal Neuvirth was up to the task on Artem Anisimov's shot from in close. But the rebound went to Patrick Kane, who gathered the loose puck and put it in the net on a wraparound chance against a disheveled Flyers defense.

The Flyers controlled the pace for most of the first, generating scoring chances in an effort to tie the game. But late in the period, the game shifted Chicago's way for good.

Ivan Provorov fell down as he controlled the puck in his own zone, allowing Dennis Rasmussen to gather the puck and score on a breakaway. Seconds later, the Flyers took a penalty and Chicago scored 13 seconds into the power play as Artemi Panarin buried a one-timer.

The Flyers were outshot 11-8 in the first period.

The Blackhawks got an early power play in the second as well. The Flyers defended it well until the closing seconds, when Marian Hossa roared up the wing and threw a shot toward the goal that hit the back of Neuvirth and bounced in. The power-play tally was Hossa's 500th career goal.

That goal also ended the night for Neuvirth, who allowed four goals on 16 shots.

The Flyers did get on the board late in the second. A shot by Jake Voracek went wide but the bounce off the end boards came right to Matt Read who buried it for his second goal of the season. 

The Flyers frantic rally continued at the start of the third. Just 37 seconds into the period, Read was on the doorstep for a pass from Claude Giroux and finished to cut the lead to two. Just 1:16 later, Sean Couturier finished a nice rush with Nick Schultz and Travis Konecny to cut the lead to one.

A Flyers power play moments later allowed them to tie things up, as Wayne Simmonds picked up his own rebound on the power play to knot the score at four at 3:49.

The Flyers four goals were separated by 5:26.

But the Blackhawks regained the jump in their step and regained the lead at 10:24 of the third. A neutral-zone turnover by Giroux allowed the Blackhawks to move into the zone. Provorov pinched to disrupt a play and did momentarily, but as Chicago regained control, they had a two-on-one down low and Panarin found Anisimov alone in front for the easy goal to make it 5-4 Chicago.

A turnover on a miscommunication between Couturier and Provorov led to a two-on-one for Chicago with four minutes left in the period. It was Kane and Panarin. Kane made the pass and Panarin finished to make it a two-goal game.

Anisimov added an empty-net goal to seal the game for Chicago.

The Blackhawks top line of Panarin, Kane and Anisimov combined for 11 points in the game. Kane and Anisimov each had four points.

The Flyers open the home schedule in their next game on Thursday, hosting the Anaheim Ducks. The game will start following pregame ceremonies slated to begin at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• CHI Patrick Kane (1) (Artem Anisimov, Brent Seabrook) 0:56
• CHI Dennis Rasmussen (1) (Unassisted) 17:26
• CHI Artemi Panarin (1) PP (Seabrook, Duncan Keith) 18:12

2nd Period

• CHI Marian Hossa (1) PP (Anisimov, Brian Campbell) 5:04
• PHI Matt Read (2) PP (Jake Voracek, Claude Giroux) 18:23

3rd Period

• PHI Read (3) (Giroux, Shayne Gostisbehere) 0:37
• PHI Sean Couturier (3) (Nick Schultz, Travis Konecny) 1:54
• PHI Wayne Simmonds (2) PP (Voracek, Giroux) 3:49
• CHI Anisimov (1) (Panarin, Kane) 10:24
• CHI Panarin (2) (Kane) 16:03
• CHI Anisimiv (2) EN (Kane, Seabrook) 19:15

Game Statistics