In overtime, it only takes one mistake to call it a night.
Which is why the Flyers were so frustrated by the outcome of their game on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Flyers had played the Golden Knights to a 1-1 standoff through 60 minutes and beyond.
But in overtime, Kevin Hayes turned the puck over to Jonathan Marchessault for a breakaway goal at 3:21 and the Flyers dropped the first game of their four-game road trip, 2-1.
For the season, the Flyers are 0-5 in overtime.
The Flyers are now 3-2 alltime at T-Mobile Arena.
Philadelphia was extra exasperated because the players felt the Knights should have been whistled for too many men on the ice shortly before the winning goal. But no penalty was called on the play.
Scott Laughton lamented how things went in the tiebreaker.
“We battled until the end,’’ Laughton said. “Then in the overtime, I thought we possessed the puck pretty well. We just couldn’t get it done. But if we keep playing like that, grow our game, I think we’ll get a couple more wins here.’’
In addition to the non-call on what appeared to be an Vegas player on the ice, the Flyers were also upset that refs missed to be what appeared to be a tripping call when Travis Konecny went to the ice.
On the flip side, the Flyers did not get a single power play for the entire game.
The Knights took a 1-0 lead on a broken play. Goalie Carter Hart failed to control a long shot. The puck bounced off his chest and straight to William Carrier, who put a one-timer high into the net at 11:45.
Philadelphia entered the game with seven wins after trailing 1-0, which was tied for the NHL lead with Toronto and New Jersey.
It was the 19th time this season the Golden Knights have scored first, which leads the league.
The Flyers responded at 1:48 of the second. Laughton cut off a clear attempt by goalie Adin Hill behind the Vegas net. Laughton banked the puck off the goalie’s skate into the net. That ended Laughton’s 16-game goal drought.
“Actually a bad dump-in by me,’’ Laughton said at the second intermission. I just tried to throw one on net. Fortunate to get one, hadn’t had one for a while. Hopefully that kickstarts the offense a bit for myself, hope I can contribute that way.”
>Keys to improvement
At the first intermission, forward Nic Deslauriers was asked what the Flyers seemed to be doing better in recent games.
“We’ve been in games pretty much the whole time,” Deslauriers said. “I think we just kill ourselves with the mistakes and I think we had success when we played the right way, simple and chipped the puck in and go get it.”
The Flyers entered the game with a record of 3-1 in their brief history at T-Mobile Arena. A rather tough place to play, with loud fans, etc. Deslauriers is no stranger to the place, having played a bunch in the Western Conference.
“It’s fun to play in those buildings,’’ Deslauriers said. “It’s easy to get the energy and it’s fun when you score a goal and get booed sometimes. You get the opposite energy that they don’t want but it’s a fun building to play in. It’s been five-six years they’ve been in the league and it’s been fun.’’
Deslauriers has been portrayed as a good mentor to the Flyers’ young players. As a role player, he knows how hard it is to break into the NHL and stay there.
“I’ve been there,’’ he said. “It’s not easy, but I think it’s just about trying to be a pro, that’s the main thing. There are some nights it doesn’t go your way and some other nights it does, but I’ve been in those shoes that you’re in and out, but I think it’s just being a good pro. I’ve had that motto of just going day-by-day and that helped me through my career.”
>York debuts, DeAngelo sits
Coach John Tortorella, who lobbied to have defenseman Cam York called up from Lehigh Valley for the four-game road trip, decided to start the former first-round pick and sit veteran Tony DeAngelo.
>Short shots
The Flyers head for Arizona to play the Coyotes on Sunday.
