Writer: Kevin Durso
Jones, Sharks blank Flyers as Karlsson nets OT winner
I have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Co-host of the YWT Podcast. I also am Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey. I graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.
All posts by Kevin DursoPublished19 Nov 2015
It took 63:45, but one team finally scored at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night.
At 3-on-3, plays develop quickly. After killing off a late third-period penalty taken by Wayne Simmonds, the teams had 3:19 of 3-on-3 time.
A two-on-one between Joonas Donskoi and Melker Karlsson developed going the other way. Donskoi fed a pass over a diving Michael Del Zotto and onto the stick of Karlsson who put it under the bar for the game-winning goal at 3:45 of overtime, giving the San Jose Sharks a 1-0 win over the Flyers on Thursday night.
The first two periods featured very little action as the Flyers and Sharks skated through 40 minutes of scoreless play.
A low-action first featured just nine shots until the closing minutes. The Sharks would outshoot the Flyers, 10-6, in the first 20 minutes.
Two of the 10 shots were good saves by Steve Mason, one on a sliding stop on Justin Braun on a two-on-one feed from Joel Ward.
The second period featured more action, particular for the Flyers offensively. The Flyers outshot the Sharks, 15-5, in the second frame, holding the Sharks without a shot for nearly 13 minutes, including a power play chance, the first of the game for either side at 7:41 of the period.
The Flyers also had a power play opportunity at 10:05, getting three shots from the top unit, by failing to beat Martin Jones.
Both teams traded power-play opportunities in the third as well, with neither team scoring in the final 20 minutes of regulation. The Flyers again outshot the Sharks, 9-4.
In overtime, the Flyers killed off a penalty to Simmonds for the first 1:42 of overtime. The Flyers managed four shots in the extra session, compared to just two for the Sharks. Jones was up for all of them, and going the other way on a two-on-one break, Karlsson scored the game-winner to seal the Flyers 10th loss in the last 12 games.
The Flyers hit the road for another brief trip, traveling to Ottawa to meet the Senators on Saturday. The opening face-off is set for 7 p.m.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
