Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
Ok, just for tonight lets ignore all that business about the four way tie for the final wild card slot in the East. If the Flyers can overtake 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division they will be on their way to the playoffs. After soundly defeating the Islanders in New York on Friday night by the score of 4-1 the Flyers are just one point out of that oh so very important 3rd place spot.
This match was one of those “4 point games”. The Islanders currently sit in 3rd place in the Metro with 89 points. The Flyers kept them frozen there for the night while picking up 2 points putting their total at 88.
Quickly, that 88 points puts the Flyers in a four way tie with Columbus, Detroit, and Ottawa for the final wild card spot in the East. The Flyers multiple non-regulation wins this season, as exciting as they were to watch, now work against them. Should they end the regular season schedule in a tie with any of these three teams they would lose due to the tie-breaker stats.
The Flyers and Islanders were the only two teams in the East to play on Friday night so any of the info here should not change until at least …tomorrow.
Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes have become the 1st team in the East to clinch a playoff spot currently with 102 points. The good news is the Islanders will play the Canes tomorrow night in the 2nd game of a back-to-back after losing game 1 to the Flyers.
The Islanders play the mighty Hurricanes again on the final night of their season on April 14th. At this point the Flyers still have a game in hand on the Islanders as well. This is all getting extremely interesting down the stretch.
Philly vs New York
After a frustrating loss at home to the Red Wings Thursday night the Flyers showed up in New York ready to play some hockey. Bodies were banging right from the get go, this was not going to be a dainty affair. The Philadelphia hockey club took control of this game in the 1st period and refused to let go.
Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett opened things up scoring his 28th of the season on a 2-on-1 break with Travis Sanheim picking up the primary assist 13:54 into the opening period.
Moments later Alex Bump came off the side boards and beat Ilya Sorokin far side with a sharp angle shot at 15:01. Beautiful Shot. The Islanders home town crowd treated them to a round of boos as they went up the tunnel for the 1st intermission.
Just 2:52 into the 2nd period Matvei Michkov picked up his own rebound off the back boards and fired the puck from behind the goal line. The shot hit Sorokin in the seat of the pants before bouncing into the net behind him. Michkov was not at all invisible in this game, ending the night with a goal and 2 assists.
Matvei Michkov
Wake Up Call
This goal was the final straw that lit a fire under the New York Islanders. After recording just 2 shots on goal in the 1st period the Isls attacked the Flyers net with a new found enthusiasm.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar proved up to the challenge. He made clusters of challenging saves as the Islanders threw everything they had in his direction. His positioning and confidence looked like the Vladar we have become accustomed to seeing between the pipes this season.
With 4:23 remaining in the middle period the Islanders hard work paid off. Jean-Gabriel Pageau fired a wrist shot over the blocker of the Flyers netminder. That was the only puck that would get past Vladar for the rest of the night.
Midway through the final period Travis Sanheim took a cross ice pass from Matvei Michkov and ripped a wrister by Sorokin to set the final score of 4-1.
New York pulled their goalie for the extra attacker with almost 8 full minutes remaining in regulation. The Flyers committed a number of icings gunning for the empty net. Matthew Schaefer utilized some fantastic stick work to stop not one but three separate attempts at the empty net from in close.
Nick Seeler blocked some key shots as the Islanders made their final attempts. Dan Vladar stayed solid and the Flyers accomplished their mission of banking a very important two points. At the outset both teams probably considered this game a must win situation, the Flyers made it happen.
Next Up: The Flyers host the Boston Bruins Easter Sunday at 3:30 PM.
About Author
NHL Philadelphia Flyers Hockey. Rink-side reports, press-box coverage, credentialed access.
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