Flyers fall short in overtime again, remain winless with third straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers stayed winless with a 3-2 overtime loss Saturday night to the defending champion Hurricanes at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Shayne Gostisbehere scored the game-winner for Carolina. It was a power play goal. Owen Tippett was in the penalty box for slashing.
Nick Seeler was not happy with the officials after the goal. The Flyers felt the defenseman was crosschecked by Andrei Svechnikov at the net just before Gostisbehere’s shot.
The Flyers had 34 seconds of power play time to open OT, but they couldn’t capitalize.
Rick Tocchet’s club has dropped three straight to start the season (0-1-2). The last time the Flyers lost their first three games was 2014-15, when they dropped four straight to open the season (0-2-2).
Tippett and Matvei Michkov provided the Flyers’ goals.
The Hurricanes (1-1-1) were on the second night of a back-to-back set. They lost at home Friday night to the Capitals, 5-2.
The Flyers faced Carolina for the first time since last season’s second-round elimination to the Hurricanes. The Flyers were swept by Carolina. Going back to the start of the 2021-22 season, the Flyers have lost 21 of their last 24 games against the Hurricanes, including the playoffs.
• Tocchet went back to Joseph Woll, who stopped 37 of 40 shots.
With under four and a half minutes left in the second period, Woll made an athletic split to deny William Carrier, who was trying to flush a rebound. The save kept the Flyers in front, 2-1.
But Carolina tied the game just under five minutes into the third period on Sebastian Aho’s second goal of the night. This one came on the power play and with Michkov in the penalty box for holding.
Aho’s first goal came just 10 seconds into the game.
Woll earned consecutive starts after making 41 saves in the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss Thursday night to the Devils.
Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 16 of the Flyers’ 18 shots.
In all three games so far, the Flyers have been outshot by double digits.
• Rasmus Ristolainen took a shot to his left hand with 3:31 minutes left in the second period. After exiting, the the 31-year-old defenseman was able to briefly return at the start of the third period. But following his shift, he went back up the tunnel and did not return.
The team said Ristolainen would be reevaluated Sunday.
Not having Ristolainen would put the Flyers in a tough spot on the back end. He has been a top-pair guy next to Travis Sanheim.
Simon Benoit was the Flyers’ extra defenseman Saturday night. He’d be in line for more action if Ristolainen has to miss any time. The injury could also open the door for Oliver Bonk, a 21-year-old prospect who has been knocking at the door.
David Jiricek made his season debut against Carolina. The 22-year-old was on the third pair alongside Nick Seeler.
• Tocchet’s decision to put Michkov on a line with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny paid off.
That line impressed in the team’s third preseason game.
“They did play well that game,” Tocchet said Saturday morning, “so hopefully some same kind of magic happens.”
The line produced the Flyers’ go-ahead 2-1 goal from Michkov in the second period.
Tippett scored the first goal by a Flyers forward this season when he tied the game at 1-1 in the first period.
The 27-year-old fired one home through traffic from the slot. His persistence paid off. After having his initial shot blocked, he did a good job of getting the next one on net, which created some chaos in front. His third attempt found the back of the net.
• Denver Barkey was on the ice at morning skate in a non-contact jersey. The 21-year-old forward has been considered day to day with a lower-body injury.
Later in the skate, Barkey was wearing a regular jersey. Tocchet mentioned next week as a possibility for Barkey’s return, but we’ll see how things progress.
• The Flyers go on the road for a three-game trip starting Monday when they visit the Lightning (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
