The Flyers two games on home ice in the preseason have ended with the same result. This time, a late third-period goal was the difference.
Emil Heineman scored on a partial breakaway with 2:54 to play to hand the Flyers a 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Flyers got on the board right away at 1:46 of the first period. Christian Dvorak worked the puck free and got a shorthanded breakaway. Dvorak left a drop pass between his legs for Travis Sanheim, who finished off the shorthanded rush with his second goal of the preseason to make it 1-0 Flyers.
Through 20 minutes, shots were 9-6 Islanders.
Early in the second, the Islanders got another power play and cashed in. Max Shabanov redirected a pass from Maxim Tsyplakov over the shoulder of Sam Ersson for a power-play goal to even things at one at 3:45.
The Flyers got the lead back at 11:10 of the period. Travis Konecny fired a one-timer from the top of the zone to make it 2-1. The lead lasted just 15 seconds, as Anders Lee answered with a goal through the five-hole of Ersson to even things at two at 11:25.
The Islanders took the lead with a shorthanded goal of their own at 17:12. A turnover by Matvei Michkov at the offensive blue line allowed an eventual 2-on-0. JG Pageau fed Adam Pelech for the goal to make it 3-2.
But the Flyers tied things back up with a power-play goal, as Noah Cates finished off a great passing play with his third of the preseason to make it 3-3.
Through two periods, shots were 19-15 Islanders.
Late in the third period, the Islanders got the go-ahead goal. With 2:54 to play, Heineman got ahead of the defense and slipped a shot through the five-hole of Ersson to make it 4-3.
Ersson made 23 saves on 27 shots in the loss. Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves on 21 shots in the win.
Tsyplakov had two assists for the Islanders.
The Flyers close out the preseason on Saturday afternoon against the New Jersey Devils at 12:30 p.m.
