Flyers let another two-goal lead slip away in 5-4 OT loss

By Wayne Fish

PHILADELPHIA – Mention how the Flyers have let two-goal leads slip away in consecutive games and coach Dave Hakstol’s usual intense stare goes up a notch.
After the Flyers blew a 3-1 lead to Calgary on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center – this after frittering away a 2-0 edge in Winnipeg on Thursday – Hakstol clearly didn’t want to hear or make any excuses.
So, coach, how deflating was Saturday’s 5-4 loss in overtime to the Flames?
“It’s not deflating, it pisses you off,’’ Hakstol said. “Pardon my language. When things are a little bit in your control, we did some good things tonight, but you need the full 60 minutes.’’
Clearly, the Flyers can point to a 10-minute span in the second period when they took four penalties and allowed two power-play goals.
“That 10-minute span cost us a point,’’ Hakstol said.
Particularly galling was a bench minor penalty taken by Shayne Gostisbehere at 14:21 of the second. The Flyer defenseman apparently said something to an official.
On the ensuing power play, Sean Monahan scored his third goal of the period to tie the score at 4-4.
And that’s the way it stood until Michael Frolik scored at 1:18 of overtime, leaving the Flyers winless in their last four games (0-2-2).
“I just wasn’t a good team player in that sense on that play,’’ Gostisbehere said of the penalty. “Heat of the moment. Obviously there was no excuse for something like that to happen. I wasn’t thinking about my team there. I really let my team down.

Like most of the Flyers, they realize their play has been a little bit too wide open.
“I think, collectively, we have been pretty disciplined,’’ he said. “Just the past couple games, it’s gotten away from us a bit. Things like that to happen on my end, it’s unacceptable for my team. I got to be a better team player in that fashion.’’

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About Wayne Fish 2386 Articles
Wayne Fish has been covering the Flyers since 1976, a stint which includes 18 Stanley Cup Finals, four Winter Olympics and numerous other international events.

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