Philadelphia Flyers’ Worst Outdoor Game Moments

The Flyers will play the Penguins outdoors in a Stadium Series game Saturday. To celebrate, Broad Street Buzz has ranked the top three best and worst moments in the Flyers’ outdoor games. We start with the worst.

The Philadelphia Flyers will play their fourth outdoor game this Saturday (weather permitting), against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field. To celebrate the event, I’ve ranked the top three best and worst outdoor game moments for the Flyers. Given the team’s 0-3 record in them, I figured it was fitting to start with the worst moments. The best moments will be posted tomorrow.

3. Mark Recchi’s Tying Goal in 2010

Back in 2010, outdoor games weren’t still just new for Flyers fans — they were new across the NHL. The Boston Bruins-Flyers matchup in Fenway Park on Jan. 1 was just the third Winter Classic. Back then, there was league-wide excitement for any game taken to a baseball or football stadium.

When the Flyers found themselves up 1-0 late in the third in that game, there was more of a sense of pride in the possibility of winning the highly viewed event. But former Flyer Mark Recchi had other plans.

With Kimmo Timonen, one of the Flyers’ best penalty killers, in the box and the Bruins on a power play with less than three minutes left, Recchi tipped a shot from Derek Morris to beat Michael Leighton. Although Leighton would go on to be an infamous character in Flyers’ history, he was having a strong Winter Classic. That goal took away the goalie’s perceived invincibility.

The game went to overtime and Philadelphia had some prime chances, but Boston’s Marco Sturm ended up scoring the game-winner. That one hurt too, but Recchi’s goal had already killed most of the hope.

The good news is that the Flyers would get the eventual last laugh that season.

2. Henrik Lundqvist Save on Danny Briere’s Penalty Shot

In 2012, the Flyers hosted their first outdoor game at Citizens Bank Park, against the New York Rangers on Jan. 2. The game started out great for Philly with the team taking a 2-0 lead (although it would only last 30 seconds).

By the end of the third, the Rangers were leading 3-2, but the Flyers were pressing. A scramble in front of New York’s net led to Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh falling on the puck and covering it with his glove — an automatic penalty shot — with 19.6 seconds left.

The Flyers were able to pick their shooter and coach Peter Laviolette went with the slick Danny Briere.

After nearly a full period played on already less-than-ideal ice, Briere didn’t want to risk fumbling the puck by attempting to deke. Instead, he tried to freeze goalie Henrik Lundqvist and shoot five-hole. Unfortunately for the Flyers, the Swedish netminder read it perfectly and made the butterfly save.

Of course, that would be a tough moment in any game, but the setting was just too perfect: 19.6 seconds left, down by one, playing at “home”. It was a heartbreaking moment instead of setting up a possible perfect ending.

1. Loss to the Penguins

In the previous two outdoor games, the Flyers had led and certainly kept things close in both. Although the score wasn’t lopsided, that was never the case against the Penguins. In fact, it read like most recent Flyers-Penguins games.

Sidney Crosby scored the first goal less than 10 minutes into the game and the Flyers were already playing catch-up against their cross-state rivals. The Pens scored again before Jake Voracek was able to get the Flyers on the board.

The teams entered the third still separated by one goal, but Matt Cullen scored just under two minutes into the stanza. Shayne Gostisbehere added another for the Flyers before the Penguins scored the final goal, but Philadelphia fans couldn’t have had much hope of winning the game. Just like most Flyers-Penguins games.