Flyers Postgame Report: Columbus Rallies, Flyers Slide Continues

Off a four-game road trip that ended on a sour note, the Flyers shuffled the lineup and looked for the bounce back against Columbus. For the better part of regulation, they were in control. A goal late in the first period gave them the lead and they got some insurance early in the third.

But the Columbus Blue Jackets have been a scrappy bunch of late, and the Flyers, using 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the second straight game and shortening the bench, started to slow down. After getting the margin back to one in short order, the Blue Jackets eventually got the game tied too, and ultimately finished off the comeback beyond regulation.

For the Flyers, it marked their fourth straight loss and sixth in the last seven games, losing 3-2 in a shootout on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers had an early power-play chance that they couldn’t cash in. An early 7-1 barrage in shots was nearly matched by Columbus as the period progressed, eventually evening out to 8-6.

With under three minutes to go in the period, leave it to the Flyers All-Star to strike first. Travis Konecny scored his 19th goal of the season on a nice pass from Joel Farabee, making it 1-0 at 17:12.

Seconds later, the Flyers had a full two-minute 5-on-3, but also could not score, keeping the margin at one entering the second period. Through 20 minutes, shots were 14-6 Flyers.

The Flyers had to kill off a pair of penalties in the second period. Despite dominating possession throughout even-strength play in the period, and extending the lead in shots to 27-15 through two periods, they were unable to add to their lead.

The Flyers were able to add to the lead early in the third. At 4:29, it was Konecny scoring once again, making a power move to the net and putting the puck through the legs of Daniil Tarasov for his 20th goal of the season.

Columbus answered right back less than a minute later at 5:24. A one-timer by Damon Severson beat Sam Ersson to cut the lead to one again.

Just past the halfway point of the third, the Blue Jackets got the equalizer. Jack Roslovic took a shot from the top of the left circle that clipped the stick of Jake Bean and beat Ersson for his third goal of the season, tying the game at two.

The intensity picked up for the remainder of regulation, with both teams generating close chances and the physicality hitting another level. Through regulation, the Flyers had a 40-26 lead in shots.

Following a relatively quiet overtime, the game went to a shootout. Johnny Gaudreau scored the lone goal of the shootout in the first round, handing the Flyers their sixth loss in the last seven games.

Ersson finished with 26 saves on 28 shots in the loss. Tarasov made 39 saves on 41 shots in the win.

Each of Konecny, Farabee, and Sean Couturier had two points for the Flyers.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Travis Konecny (19) (Joel Farabee, Sean Couturier) 17:12

2nd Period

• No Scoring

3rd Period

• PHI Konecny (20) (Farabee, Couturier) 4:29
• CBJ Damon Severson (5) (Adam Fantilli, Jake Christiansen) 5:24
• CBJ Jake Bean (3) (Jack Roslovic, Erik Gudbranson) 10:20

Overtime

• No Scoring

Shootout

• PHI Sean Couturier – Save
• CBJ Johnny Gaudreau – Goal
• PHI Bobby Brink – Save
• CBJ Kent Johnson – Miss
• PHI Tyson Foerster – Save

Game Statistics