Jones Struggles, Penalties Prove Costly In Flyers Loss To Bruins

The Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins faced off on Thursday night at TD Garden for the Flyers second preseason matchup of the year. The Flyers were coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Philadelphia followed up their defeat on Tuesday with another one tonight, albeit while icing a roster of mostly minor-leaguers and roster hopefuls against most of Boston’s actual NHL talent. The Flyers wound up losing 4-2 to the Bruins tonight in Boston.

Martin Jones would start this one in net for the Flyers, making his first appearance in Orange and Black so far in the preseason. He and Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman were able to keep the game scoreless throughout the first 6:29 of the first period before the game’s first penalty was called.

Boston’s Jakub Zbořil was called for cross-checking against Wyatte Wylie, and the Flyers would earn their first power play. They would make no mistake on it either, as James van Riemsdyk was able to sauce the puck over two Bruins sticks across the net-mouth to Joel Farabee. He rammed home the puck past Swayman with the man-advantage for an early 1-0 Flyers lead.

The Flyers lead was short-lived, however. Cam York was called for a cross-checking penalty of his own on Jack Studnicka at 9:07 of the period, and Boston would respond with their own power play marker. Taylor Hall spotted Brad Marchand alone in the slot, and he fed him for the snipe past Jones to tie the game at one goal apiece just ten seconds into the penalty.

Less than two minutes later, Philadelphia would be shorthanded again as defenseman Nick Seeler was sent to the box for hooking against Hall, and the Bruins would head to the power play for the second time tonight.

The Flyers were able to take a little more time off the clock this time around, but they still couldn’t hold off Boston’s power play unit. Craig Smith potted the goal off of a slick feed from new addition Nick Foligno on a rush to make it 2-1 Bruins with 7:37 to play in the opening frame.

The parade to the penalty box would continue at the 14:45 mark of the period when Travis Sanheim was sent off for holding against Marchand, and Boston would look to go 3-for-3 on the power play in the period.

Luckily for the Flyers, they got a call of their own to even things up at 4-on-4. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel was hauled down in the corner by Matt Grzelcyk while chasing a loose puck at 15:28 of the period.

But even with four seconds remaining in the 4-on-4 period, Boston still found a way to haunt the Flyers. After David Pastrňák was disrupted on a shot, Brandon Carlo found the puck on his stick in the middle of the right faceoff circle. Carlo simply took a slap shot that eluded Jones high to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead with 3:19 remaining. It was certainly a goal that Jones would’ve liked to have had back.

The period would thankfully come to an end with the Bruins beating the Flyers 3-1 after 20 minutes and maintaining an 11-4 shots on goal advantage as well. The Flyers scored the opening goal and then proceeded to get steamrolled afterwards, and they needed a much better effort in the second period to try and win this game.

The Flyers would get their third power play just 1:26 into the period after Studnicka picked up an interference minor against van Riemsdyk. The Flyers however could not capitalize to cut into the Bruins’ lead.

After an uneventful period of time, the Flyers would get another power play opportunity at 9:36, this time on Zbořil’s second penalty of the night as he was called for holding on Tyson Foerster. Philadelphia had some decent looks but once again could not score.

Philadelphia was definitely playing a tighter and more structured game in the second period, though,  as they had not allowed a Bruins shot on goal until they had 8:05 to play in the middle frame.

At the 12:40 mark of the period, Seeler would pick up his second hooking penalty of the game, once again on Taylor Hall. Boston would look to extend their lead out to three goals, but Felix Sandström held off the Bruins from scoring after taking over for Jones in goal midway through the period.

The Bruins were beginning to charge again and sure enough, they broke through again with 1:29 left to play in the second period. Jake DeBrusk was able to power his way to the Philadelphia crease from the boards and muscled the puck through Sandström to give Boston a 4-1 advantage.

15 seconds before the period ended, Adam Clendening was whistled for hooking against Pastrňák to give Boston their fifth power play of the night. The period would end shortly after with the Bruins still in control of things in this one.

The third period was not as action-packed as the previous forty minutes of play. Little offense was found and the first penalty of the period wasn’t called until the 8:12 mark when DeBrusk was called for holding on Wyatte Wylie.

Philadelphia would have another chance to cash in on the power play and they did just that thanks to Joel Farabee. Farabee lasered home a one-timer through traffic off a nice pass from York that flew by Swayman and smacked the water bottle to cut the Bruins’ lead in half with 10:20 still to play in the period.

The Flyers would get another power play less than four minutes after the goal when Trent Frederic high-sticked Adam Clendening to give Philadelphia another man-advantage. The Flyers couldn’t find the back of the net on this attempt and Boston killed off Frederic’s minor.

Despite their best efforts, the Flyers couldn’t generate a comeback and fell 4-2 to the Bruins. They also fell 1-0 in the postgame shootout afterwards. DeBrusk raced on in and beat Sandström with a perfect shot by the glove for the lone tally in the skills competition.

3 STARS OF THE GAME – 1) Taylor Hall – BOS, 2) Erik Haula – BOS, 3) Joel Farabee – PHI