Flyers turn Predators into prey

The Flyers played one of their best games of the season against the best team in the NHL. Wayne Simmonds and Ryan White scored. Rob Zepp made 22 saves including both shootout attempts against and the Flyers defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday.

It was a very cautious first 8 minutes. Nashville iced the puck two or three times and neither team generated many shots. The Flyers would finally break through at the 8:59 mark.

Wayne Simmonds got the Flyers on the board as he deflected a Michael Del Zotto shot from the point. It was his 23rd goal of the season. Del Zotto and Braydon Coburn had the assists. 

From there the Flyers would dictate play for much of the remainder of the period. They held a 13-1 shot advantage with just over a minute left. 

Colin Wilson would steal a pass near the Flyers blueline and fired a wrist shot past Rob Zepp to tie the score at 1-1. It was Wilson's 19th goal of the season and would send the teams to the locker room tied.

The Flyers would start the second on the power as Shea Weber took a slashing minor in the closing moments of the first. The Flyers were unable to capitalize. 

Nashville got their own man advantage 3:43 into the second  but never got a shot off. The Flyers penalty killers were outstanding. Numerous times Nashville had to go the length of the ice during the two minutes.

Ryan White would give the Flyers lead at 11:41. White jumped on a loose puck in the slot and fired it home past Rinne. Brayden Schenn and R.J, Umberger picked up the helpers on White's second of the year.

The Flyers had a golden chance to extend the lead as James Neal was called for slashing at 17:20. They were unable to score and the teams went to the room with the Flyers ahead 2-1 with 20 minutes left. 

Craig Smith tied it up just 23 seconds into the third. Smith fired a wrist shot past Zepp for his 18th of the year. Mike Fisher and Matt Cullen picked up the assists.

It would go back and forth for much of the first 12 minutes. At 12:42, Andrew MacDonald went off for hooking. Nashville once again did not generate much and the Flyers were able to kill off the penalty.

Neither team could get one home as the third period wound down and the teams went to overtime.

Both teams exchanged chances in the extra period. Nashville would maintain possession in the Flyers zone for a solid minute but could not get the game winner. The game would head to the shootout from there.

Rob Zepp stopped both shots in the shootout. Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds would score on their chances to give the Flyers the 3-2 win.

The Flyers are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they host the Washington Capitals. 

Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074