Flyers Drop Close Game After Costly Overtime Mistake

The Philadelphia Flyers battled with another one of the league’s top-tier teams, but fell short in the end after a costly overtime mistake. It was not just one mistake that led to the loss. It was the team’s inability to capitalize on their golden opportunities in a tight battle.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights fought off two Flyers’ comebacks, beating Philly 3-2 in overtime on Thursday night.

Trevor Zegras and Noah Juulsen scored for the Flyers, but it was not enough, despite the team’s great five-on-five effort.

With the loss, the Flyers’ record dropped to 16-9-4. Here is how we got to the final score.

Even 60-minute battle

It was not a dominant start like the Flyers had on Tuesday. The Las Vegas Golden Knights got off to a quick start, putting the pressure on the Flyers early. Dan Vladar was put to work early, but the Knights would take advantage of their strong start.

A turnover at the Flyers’ blueline led to a Knights’ rush headed the other way. Braeden Bowman carried the puck in, fed it to Ivan Barbashev, who found Zach Whitecloud streaking through the zone for an up-close goal to give Vegas the early 1-0 lead.

After that, you could clearly see Philly pick up the intensity.

The game became much more evenly matched. It became a battle. Eventually, that would pay off with the Flyers evening the score before the first intermission.

Travis Sanheim (11) made an unbelievable pass to Trevor Zegras (11) for the tape-to-tape goal.

Christian Dvorak (13) earned an assist on the goal as well.

The second period was as even as the first.

It took much longer for either team to generate any real chances. Eventually, Vegas would get its chance on the man-advantage. After a Flyers penalty for too many men, Mark Stone was able to push a bouncing puck past Vladar, giving the lead back to his team, 2-1.

The Flyers’ response was much faster. This time, they found scoring from an unlikely player.

Noah Juulsen (1) scored his first goal of the season, unleashing a bomb off a one-time pass from Dvorak (14). Carl Grundstrom (1) picked up his first assist of the season.

It was Juulsen’s first goal since February 17th, 2024, while he was with the Canucks.

The third period was relatively uneventful. Neither team had too many chances. In a game featuring two teams who frequently go to the extra frame, it was no surprise that neither team could pull ahead in the final 20.

It was a genuinely boring period of hockey, plain and simple.

Regulation ended with the game tied at two, with both teams tallying five, nine, then five shots each, in the first, second, and third periods, respectively.

Flyers fall short in overtime

It was a strange overtime. Neither team looked really sharp during the extra frame. That would make sense, considering it was a hard-fought battle for 60 minutes.

The Flyers started the OT with possession of the puck. Trevor Zegras danced around the blueline and the neutral zone, waiting for something to develop. Of course, they did not find that.

There would be a couple of loose plays, from both sides, with no real sustained pressure.

The game ended with a costly mistake.

Travis Konecny fanned on a puck in the defensive zone, giving Jack Eichel a chance to make something happen. The Knights’ star centerman held on to the puck and eventually had Mark Stone on the other side of the net, who buried the final shot of the game, sealing the 3-2 win for Vegas.

Konecny made a costly error, but the team’s inability to capitalize on any of their three power-play opportunities was the Flyers’ fatal flaw.

What’s next

Philadelphia wraps up its homestand on Saturday when it hosts the Carolina Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Flyers Drop Close Game After Costly Overtime Mistake

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