When a late comeback rally is needed, the Flyers won’t take no for an answer.
It happened again on Wednesday night.
Down 2-0 early in the second period against the Florida Panthers, the Flyers rallied to tie the score, then got goals from Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier in the final minute for a 4-2 victory at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
It’s the Flyers’ 10th come-from-behind win this season. And another sensational goaltending performance by Dan Vladar, who upped his record to 9-4-1.
Foerster scored with 44.5 seconds to play and Couturier ended a 17-game goal drought 21 seconds later.
The Flyers took the season series against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, 2-0-1.
“ ‘Vlady’ was unreal, he saved our bacon,” coach Rick Tocchet said in a televised interview after the game. “Resilience of the guys, give them a lot of credit. I thought all four lines contributed.”
What made the difference in the third period?
“Just the confidence,” Tocchet said. “That’s something we’re going to strive everyday toward. We’re trying to chase that 60 (minute) consistency. There are things we need to keep working on and build those blocks.”
Foerster’s initial shot hit defenseman Aaron Ekblad in the foot but the Flyer didn’t give up on the play. He fired again and beat goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
“It was unfortunate I hit the guy and he went down,” Foerster said. “I was lucky enough to be in position because of that. We always get scored on first, it seems like. It’s not a good thing but it’s great that we always come back.”
Emil Andrae played a major role in helping the Flyers rebound from a 2-0 deficit.
Philadelphia’s first goal came about at 7:57 when Andrae’s long shot went through a screen, including Trevor Zegras, and past Bobrovsky.
Andrae was back at it again at 11:14. The defenseman launched a shot which was deflected by Matvei Michkov and suddenly it was 2-2.
“It wasn’t a good first period for us,” Andrae said in a televised second-intermission interview. “I think we needed to win more battles out there. It wasn’t the best but glad to get it back.”
Andrae has been working well with Jamie Drysdale since the two were partnered up a few games back. Movement is the key. Both are quick skaters.
“Move our legs to get open shooting lanes,” is how Andrae described the pairing’s success. “That’s when we play our best. Didn’t have my best first period but bounced back here.”
Tocchet liked the way Andrae recovered after that tough first period.
“He had a tough first,” Tocchet said. “But the game’s not over. There are 40 minutes left and he was a factor. He fought it (the slow start) and contributed the way he did.”
A long-time Flyer nemesis, Brad Marchand, provided Florida with a 1-0 lead at 5:21.
On the play, Flyer defenseman Nick Seeler had his stick broken. He skated to the bench for a replacement but no one handed him one. That left him to try to slide to block Sam Bennett’s cross-crease pass. Somehow the puck slid under Seeler’s body and right to Marchand for his 14th goal of the season and 22nd of his career against the Flyers.
An upset Seeler threw his arms up in frustration.
It was the ninth straight time the Flyers have allowed the first goal of the game.
“I thought we had some energy early,” Travis Sanheim said in a televised first-intermission interview. “Had some good O-zone shifts. Then they got hard on the forecheck instead of just throwing pucks in. Once you do that, it kind of created some chaos. Something we couldn’t handle.”
>Milestone comments from Sanheim
Sanheim played in his 600th career game for the Flyers the other night and he said he’s appreciative of the opportunity to have competed for the Philadelphia team.
“It means everything,” he said. “I never thought I would get this far. Six hundred games is a lot of games. Obviously appreciative of the Flyers and being able to play for them for so long.”
>Short shots
With Nikita Grebenkin back in the lineup, Nic Deslauriers took a seat for this one. Also, Noah Juulsen returned to action and Egor Zamula was a scratch. . .Next up for the Flyers, a Friday afternoon encounter at the New York Islanders.
Jamie Drysdale’s ice time average of 21:44 is the highest of his career. He already has five multi-point games in his brief Flyers’ tenure.
Down on the farm, rookie forward Alex Bump is leading the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in assists (11) and points (15). He has 12 points in his last 10 games. The Phantoms are fourth in the American Hockey League’s Eastern Conference entering Wednesday action.
Entering Wednesday play, Vladar was tied for the NHL lead in high-danger shot save percentage at .878. He was also tied for fewest goals allowed with 31. His .912 save percentage is the best of his career.
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