NEW YORK – Protecting leads really hasn’t been a problem for the Flyers this season.
But it was on Saturday.
Leading by a 4-2 score after two periods, the Flyers let that lead slip away in the third period, then wound up losing to the New York Rangers in a shootout, 5-4, at Madison Square Garden.
New York won the shootout by a 2-0 score. It was the Flyers’ third straight shootout loss after starting the season 5-0.
The Flyers had two power-play opportunities in overtime but could not convert on either one.
It was the Flyers’ first loss of the season when leading after two periods (10-1).
“This group is going to have to learn,” coach Rick Tocchet said after the game. “We led 4-2, had a couple opportunities to score and then you leave it to chance.
“You can’t take your foot off and we did.”
Not scoring on either of the two OT power plays was a killer.
“Got to score there,” Tocchet said. “Too slow with the four-on-three I thought with moving the puck. We just have to learn how to handle pressure. Take the point when we thought we should have had two.
Philadelphia appeared to be on the way to a win but New York’s Vincent Trocheck scored at 9:13 of the third period, then thanks to a delay of game penalty (Rasmus Ristolainen shot the puck over the glass), Mika Zibanejad connected with 2:34 to play to even the count.
“You always tell the ‘D,’ keep the puck close to the boards,” Tocchet said.
One bright spot for the Flyers: Denver Barkey, just called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to make his NHL debut on Saturday, assisted on each of the Flyers’ first two goals.
And the Flyers looked like they were on their way to victory after a brilliant second period.
It’s rare enough when a team scores an even-strength, a power-play and a shorthanded goal in the same game.
But all of them in one period?
Well, the Flyers pulled off that rare “hat trick” in just seven minutes, 31 seconds of the second period to get things headed in the right direction.
Philadelphia actually registered a fourth goal for the period.
The Rangers held a 1-0 lead at the first intermission but apparently Tocchet gave his team a “let’s get going” speech during the break.
Barkey must have been paying rapt attention because he had a game for the scrapbook.
Initially, Travis Sanheim scored from mid-slot on a power play at 6:42 to kick off the middle frame scoring parade.
Just 23 seconds later, Owen Tippett notched his 10th goal of the season with a wrist shot past New York goalie Igor Shesterkin.
At 10:18, Trevor Zegras added a power-play goal just three seconds after the Rangers went shorthanded.
Then Rodrigo Abols made it 4-2 with a shorthanded goal at 14:36. It was the Flyers’ first shorthanded goal of the season.
The Rangers entered the game with the fewest home wins (a record of 4-10-3) in the NHL.
The Flyers blocked 11 shots in a back-and-forth first period but one they didn’t block put them in a 1-0 hole at the first intermission.
Mika Zibanejad was battling with the Flyers’ Nic Deslauriers along the boards when the Ranger spotted linemate Artemi Panarin open in the middle. The Ranger sent the puck past goaltender Sam Ersson with 35 seconds left in the period.
In the end, it was a disappointing outcome. The Flyers finished the four-game trip 1-1-2.
“You want to get as many points as you can,” Tippett said. “And not give any up. It’s one point, we would like to have two. Just need to work on it.”
Added Zegras: “I thought we were playing better in the third than we normally have. The power play, I think it’s something we have to get a lot better at. Two four-on-threes in the overtime, you’ve got to come up with a goal there.”
>A dream start for Barkey
It was just about all Barkey could ask for in his first game.
“I was happy with the game, obviously, but not the outcome,” he said. “I was just looking to get out there and get comfortable. I was happy with the way I played but I wanted a win.”
Barkey was trying to take a nap before a Phantoms game when he got the call from GM Danny Briere on Friday.
“I was tossing and turning in bed, getting ready for a game in Lehigh,” he said. “I couldn’t fall asleep. I rolled over to check the time on my phone, saw a few missed calls from Danny, he said to call back ASAP. It was a cool moment.”
Barkey came off two Memorial Cup championships with the OHL London Knights before he went pro this year. He’s made a nice transition to Lehigh Valley.
“The whole jump to pro, you have to kind of change your day-to-day life,” he said. “You have to look after yourself, your body, you game. It’s on you to perform every night. I’m trying to be a guy who shows up every day ready to work.”
Tocchet was impressed.
“Probably one of the ones who won a lot of battles,” Tocchet said. “Good player. I like him a lot.”
Can Barkey stick with the big team?
“Well the play he played (today),” Tocchet said. “The way he competes, yeah. I’m going to fight for him. I know it’s a short sample size but he’s a good little player.”
>Short shots
The Flyers return to action on Monday when play host to the Vancouver Canucks in the final home game before the Christmas break. . .The Flyers’ Carl Grundstrom played in his 300th NHL game.. .Briere said Alex Bump, playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, was recently injured and is expected to miss seven to 10 days of action.
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