New York Islanders
Following a sloppy first period, the Flyers managed to get on the board first. They eventually had to rally back for a late goal in the third period, before falling to the New York Islanders in overtime, 3-2, on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center.
Following an off day from on-ice activities on Monday, the Flyers will take the ice on Tuesday night for their first preseason tilt on home ice against the New York Islanders at 7 p.m.
In Sunday’s game, the Flyers did everything but score over the first 40 minutes. Then the Islanders started to make their push and ultimately took care of things in an overtime that they dominated. It spoiled an otherwise outstanding goaltending performance on the Flyers end and showcased the Islanders budding young star in goal once again.
It was only going to take one goal to settle things, as both teams skated through 60 minutes without a tally. But at 2:23 of the overtime, Nick Leddy got the bounce and scored the lone goal of the game, handing the Flyers a 1-0 overtime loss to the Islanders.
The Flyers are left to press on, and they get to face another team right at the top of the East Division standings. Only 12 games remain in this season that continues to show just how much work the Flyers need. The Islanders come to town for one final matchup this season.
Thursday night was a really good game from the Flyers if you are strictly looking for positive building blocks moving forward. There were two very notable areas that stepped up and helped get the game to overtime and put them in a position to win. But if you were strictly looking for two points and a chance to stay in the playoff race even just for a little longer, it was another night where even a solid effort came up short.
The Flyers got one point by getting Thursday’s game against the Islanders to overtime, but suffered the same fate as their previous game in Long Island, falling in a shootout, 3-2.
The Flyers week continues with a meeting against the New York Islanders, a team that just made their splash at the trade deadline by acquiring Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from the New Jersey Devils.
There are no moral victories when it comes to playoff races or trying to contend at this point in a season. You either find a way to win or you don’t and that single point still involves a point lost. That said, there are plenty of moral victories you can find in games like this when you are trying to determine what you have and what you need for the future. The Flyers got lessons in both on Saturday.
A pair of goals by Claude Giroux erased a two-goal deficit and Carter Hart was having an outstanding game. Unfortunately, the Islanders got the extra point in the shootout, defeating the Flyers, 3-2, on Saturday night.
