Recap: Flyers Lose 2nd in a Row in Shootout with Preds

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Well, the Philadelphia Flyers must have forgotten what losing felt like. After not losing in over three weeks, the Flyers have now dropped two in a row, albeit, in a shootout tonight. Despite at least skating away with one point in the game, this was a night the Flyers should’ve ended up with two. The Flyers played great defensively all game long, as well as another terrific outing from Steve Mason.

With the way the Flyers were rolling in the game’s first two periods, it took stellar save after save from Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne to even give them a chance. In the end, Rinne did his job, and ultimately stole the extra point on the road from the Flyers, making 31 saves on the night.

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First Period

The game began with the visitors asserting themselves in the Flyers’ zone, as the Predators led territorially for the first five minutes or so. From there, however, it would be the Flyers who would put on a forechecking display as they began to settle into the game and carried the play for the duration of the period. With wave after wave of Flyers rushes and zone time, they ultimately would cash in on and Andrew MacDonald blast that would eventually hit Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis and find it’s way into the back of the net and leading to a 1-0 Flyers lead.

The Flyers would finish the period outshooting the Predators by a 16-8 margin and would have a couple more great chances but ultimately couldn’t solve Pekka Renne to get on the board for the second time. Late in the period Flyers power forward Wayne Simmonds would have a huge hit that would start a zone cycle that nearly led to another goal.

Second Period

The second period saw the game played at a much more even pace. As neither team completely dominated during any stretches of the period. The Flyers had a grand opportunity to pile it on the Predators with a 5-on-3 man advantage in which they moved the puck well and had decent chances but they found themselves being too cute in attempting to make the perfect pass which ultimately did them in.

Later in the stanza, the Flyers would find themselves on the defensive when Claude Giroux took a double-minor high-sticking penalty that would lead him to spend four minutes in the box. With terrific penalty killing done by the Flyers they would escape the second period with the 1-0 lead still intact.

Third Period

The third period was again played evenly, with each team trading chances and zone time back and forth. The goaltending from Rinne and Mason would both be on full display in the third. Halfway through the period the Predators, however, would finally solve Mason with a nifty tip-in on a puck that was going wide of the net.

Overtime

This game would need more than regulation to determine a winner. The overtime would be as thrilling and heart wrenching as they come. The Predators controlled most of the play in the extra frame as the Flyers were often sloppy with the puck and caught out of position. Mason would have to make a few great saves to send it to the shootout.

Shootout

The Flyers wouldn’t convert on any of their three chances while defenseman Ryan Ellis would score first for the Predators, which would be enough to grab the game’s extra point. The Flyers now find themselves losers of two in a row, in which they led in both games, however, one point is better than none for the Flyers tonight.

Scoring Summary

FIRST PERIOD

PHI-Andrew MacDonald (2) assisted by Jake Voracek (23) Ivan Provorov (12)

SECOND PERIOD

No scoring

THIRD PERIOD

NSH-Filip Forsberg (4) assisted by Matt Irwin (4) Matthias Ekholm (9)

THW Three Stars

First: Pekka Rinne (31 saves, .969 save %)

Second: Steve Mason (30 saves, .968 save %)

Third: Ivan Provorov (1 assist, 24:58 TOI, 5 blocked shots)

Next Game

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Wells Fargo Center – 8:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Broadcast Channels: NBCSN, CSN Philadelphia; 97.5 The Fanatic
Season Series: First Matchup