Travis Sanheim scores overtime winner as Flyers point streak reaches five games

The Flyers took on the Ottawa Senators for the first time since December of 2019. It turned into a much closer game than Philadelphia likely wanted. But they got the job done as Travis Sanheim scored to overtime winner in the 4-3 victory.

THE GOOD

BEEZER RETURNS: Joel Farabee returned to the lineup after missing the last seven games due to a shoulder injury. He was immediately put on the top line and given the go-ahead to provide the team with energy. He did that and much more. In fact, he almost scored 20 seconds into the game as his shot got past Anton Forsberg but not the crossbar. Farabee would get an all-important goal less than a minute after the Senators took the lead in the third. He now has four goals in his last five games.

THE LINDBLOM SHOW: Oskar Lindblom has certainly been playing with confidence lately and that showed in the first period. He assisted, scored, and saved a goal all in the opening 20 minutes of play. To start, he shielded the puck away from a Senators player behind the net and sent a pass to Claude Giroux in the slot. Forsberg had no idea where the puck was as Giroux was easily able to send one behind him for the opening tally.

Lindblom wasn’t done yet as he got his own goal about three and a half minutes later. Farabee had just left the ice for a line change, allowing Lindblom to jump on. He didn’t have much time to think as the puck found him and he wound up for a shot that would be tipped in by Thomas Chabot. A nice deflection if you will. Lindblom has been feeling good lately and his energy was clearly noticeable.

GIROUX CLOSER TO HISTORY: Claude Giroux climbed another step closer to even more franchise history as his goal put him into a tie with Bill Barber for the second-most points in a Flyers uniform. He had a lot to thank Lindblom for as it was the winger that was somehow able to spot him in the slot with a no-look pass to the front of the net. Obviously, Giroux has a lot more to go to catch Bobby Clarke’s 1,210 points, but it’s been an honor for him to even be mentioned with both of those players.

"“Everything’s kind of happening fast. When you get popped in the same sentence as those guys, obviously it’s a great honor. They’ve done so much for this franchise. I have a lot of respect for both of them and hopefully, keep going here.”"

THE BAD

SECOND PERIOD SHUTDOWN: Ottawa was able to flip the switch on Philadelphia in the second period, getting the better of the chances. They were able to score twice in a 1:13 to tie the game up, a response from the Flyers two goals in 3:13 in the first. That came after not getting their first shot on net until there was 6:20 remaining in the first period. Philadelphia allowed the Senators to turn up the heat and make it into a much more wide-open game than they likely wanted.

From behind their own net, Ottawa worked the puck up the ice and eventually to Tim Stutzle. He took care of the rest as he was able to skate around Rasmus Ristolainen and snipe the puck underneath the crossbar. Martin Jones was low in his net, which gave Stutzle plenty of space to work with. Alex Formenton added a shorthanded tally shortly after that.

Zack MacEwen would help turn the tide with a scrappy fight midway through the period, but the damage was done despite Philadelphia starting to regain control towards the end of the period.

THE UGLY

SHORTHANDED TALLY: It has been a rough go for Keith Yandle lately. He is closing in on the iron man streak but things haven’t looked good for him. After Drake Batherson was called for high-sticking, it was a good chance for the Flyers to re-take control. And a goal was scored, just not for the right team. Yandle couldn’t handle the puck and that allowed Formenton to take advantage of the shorthanded breakaway. In a matter of minutes, all of Philadelphia’s great work from the first period was erased. It was a 2-2 less than four minutes into the second.

The Flyers will have two more games before the league-mandated Christmas break. They’ll welcome in the Washington Capitals on Tuesday and finish things off on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.