The Flyers kept the momentum going, collecting a point in an overtime loss to the Sharks. The team was surely tired, and depleted with several players in COVID protocols. Things got a little worse for the team as center Sean Couturier was placed on IR with an upper body injury. They also decided that Martin Jones needed the night off allowing Felix Sandstrom to make his NHL debut. Sandstrom stood tall, but was not enough to for the Flyers to win.
Period One
CF:14 CA:19 CF%:42.42% SF:12 SA:7
The Flyers did not give much cover early on to rookie goalie Felix Sandstrom. The team looked sluggish from the start, yielding two powerplays early to San Jose . The young keeper was the team’s best penalty killer, looking confident and calm as his teammates sputtered early. The goalie kept the puck out of the net and allowed the Flyers some time to find their legs.
After weathering the storm, Giroux and Atkinson were able to generate an opportunity by forcing a Sharks turnover in front of the net, but failed to connect on a tight pass in front. Moments later the newly minted Konecny-Frost-Lindblom line struck. Frost and Konecny were able to fly up ice and connect on a pretty give and go between TK and Lindblom. It opened space for TK to feather a pass to Frost who lifted the puck past Sharks keeper James Reimer for his second goal of the season.
The Flyers sputtered for the remainder of the period, reacting slowly in their defensive zone, leading to numerous wide open Sharks. The Flyers escaped the period with the lead on the strength of Sandstrom’s play.
Period Two
CF:15 CA:26 CF%:36.59% SF:9 SA:16
The period started more evenly than the first, with teams trading chances, the Flyers favoring the rush for their attempts and the Sharks relying on the Flyers’ sloppy defensive zone play. The team may have made a tactical mistake when Nick Seeler took on Jeffrey Viel in a fight. While the fight was a draw, it may have shifted the energy to San Jose.
Shortly after Seeler’s bout, Joel Farabee took a late hit from Nicolas Meloche who was called for roughing. The Flyers powerplay looked toothless before Keith Yandle was unable to settle a puck in his side of center ice. Logan Couture was able to pick the pocket of Yandle, skate to a partial break away and beat Sandstrom with a wrister through the five hole.
When the powerplay came to an end, they were out shot 3 -1. The Sharks had taken the momentum and would take the lead moments later. The Flyers again broke down in the defensive end, allowing Tomas Hertl to possess the puck at the left point and find a cruising Brett Burns who walked into the slot alone and unleashed a rocket shot past Sandstrom’s glove. It was a disastrous two minutes, mimicking the familiar pattern of bad plays following each other in rapid succession and leading to goals against.
The Flyers had numerous defensive zone turnovers for much of rest of the period, generating little offense, a Konecny chance being the lone dangerous chance. They buckled again in the defensive end, causing Sanheim to hold Tomas Hertl with 14 seconds left in the period. They were lucky to be down by only a goal at the period’s conclusion.
Period Three
CF:14 CA:13 CF%:51.85% SF:7 SA:16
The Sharks started the period looking lethal on the power play and were only kept at bay by the heroics of Sandstrom, including a huge sprawling pad save from in close. The Flyers started to pick up their level of play as the team seemed to find its legs with 15 minutes left in the period, with a missed call on a blatant trip on JVR as the catalyst.
The Flyers would get a fortunate hooking and tripping call four seconds apart. The first thirty seconds were a total waste as they passed the puck on the perimeter looking rather lost. This prompted coach Yeo to call time out. However, they looked even worse after the time out, using a strange formation with a single point man that allowed the puck to clear the zone on any errant shot. It was the worst power play of the season.
To make matters worse, Zack MacEwen picked up a tripping call once the Flyers advantage expired. They were able to survive the two minutes. and continue to build their skating game.
With just over four minutes remaining, the Flyers were able to tie the game on a Joel Farabee wrist shot from a great Lindblom feed. Lindblom was easy to find again this evening and seems to be upping his form.
The teams generated few chances of note and the game would go to overtime tied at two
OVERTIME
As had been the case all night, the Sharks carried play in over time, keeping the Flyers out for extended shifts trying to cover Burns and Erik Karlsson. With less than a minute remaining in OT, a Flyers turn over at center ice created a two on one that Sandstrom initially thwarted. The young keeper was unable to stop the follow up chance by Hertl on the door step ending the game.
Conclusion
CF:43 CA:58 CF%:42.57% SF:25 SA:46
After a rough day of travel following the previous night’s game, it is understandable that the team may not have been firing on all cylinders. But good teams find ways to win, especially against the mid tier teams. Leaving the defensive zone was a challenge all evening and made the game much more challenging than it should have been.
Sandstrom made the most saves by a Flyers’ goalie in their debut and looks like he may be really close to a full time spot in the NHL.
The Flyers will resume play on January 1st, playing the Kings in Los Angeles