The Flyers didn’t carry over any of the momentum from their offensive outburst two days ago as they lost to the Lightning, 3-0, Monday night at Benchmark International Arena.
After putting up a season-high six goals Saturday night in a win over over the Devils, the Flyers (11-7-3) were shut out for the first time this season. They’ve been held to one or no goals six times and have been an up-and-down offensive club at best, scoring just 2.67 goals per game.
Rick Tocchet’s club had its only power play of the game in the third period and it went to a 4-on-4 just 35 seconds into the opportunity.
Brandon Hagel iced the game for Tampa Bay with an empty-netter and his second goal of the night. Nikita Kucherov collected three assists.
Because of injuries, the Lightning (13-7-2) were missing a number of key pieces, including their minutes leader Victor Hedman and their top goal scorer from last season Brayden Point.
The Flyers didn’t take advantage.
• Samuel Ersson gave the Flyers a fine chance to win with 15 saves on 17 shots.
The Flyers fell down 1-0 and couldn’t come back this time. They dropped to 8-5-2 when the opponent scores first.
Hagel’s first-period redirection in front opened the scoring. The shot came from Emil Lilleberg, who was left open after Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov both converged on Kucherov.
Tampa Bay made it 2-0 with four minutes left in the second period when Anthony Cirelli finished off a 3-on-2 rush.
Couturier’s line with Michkov and Bobby Brink was on the ice for the Lightning’s first two goals. So was the defensive pair of Emil Andrae and Jamie Drysdale.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay’s 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion, stopped all 20 of the Flyers’ shots.
During the third period, he denied Michkov in the slot and a Cam York one-timer. Owen Tippett hit iron when the action was at 4-on-4.
Vasilevskiy has delivered consecutive shutouts over the Flyers. The 31-year-old blanked them with 21 saves in the previous meeting, a 2-0 decision, which came last season.
• Tyson Foerster was hobbling a bit after taking a shot to the foot with 5:39 minutes left in the second period. But he was able to stay in the game and played 18:29 minutes.
The 23-year-old winger missed four games earlier this month because of a blocked shot.
• Nicolas Deslauriers fired up the Flyers’ bench in the first period after fighting the 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas.
It was an entertaining bout.
Early in Monday night’s Flyers-Lightning game, Nicolas Deslauriers and Curtis Douglas dropped the gloves, giving fans a great fight.
• The Flyers are back in action Wednesday when they visit the Panthers (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
They’re 1-1-0 against the two-time defending champs heading into the regular-season series finale.