Zegras scores overtime winner as Flyers defeat Dallas

PHILADELPHIA – By now, every point is a big deal for the Flyers.
That’s why Sunday night’s game against Dallas had more than your usual amount of drama.
Tied at a goal apiece going into overtime, the Flyers picked up a goal from Trevor Zegras at 3:27 of OT for a 2-1 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It was the third straight back-to-back the Flyers have swept (they won in Detroit on Saturday night).
The Flyers are now 6-5-1 in the second half of back-to-backs after going 1-10-2 last season.
Flyers goaltender Sam Ersson continued his hot streak since the Olympic break and picked up the victory.
The win moved the Flyers a point closer to the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference. Columbus, the nearest team ahead of the Flyers, lost to Boston in a shootout.
Zegras took an ill-advised penalty with just under three minutes to play and it could have been costly. But the Flyers killed it off and saved the day for Zegras to become a hero in the tiebreaker.
In addition to that, Zegras had a semi-empty net in regulation time and missed the shot, only adding to the vindication factor in overtime.
“Yeah, it’s tough for a couple seconds and then you have to get back to playing,” Zegras said of the errant shot. “I think the game is bigger than a couple moments like that.’
` Ersson brought the crowd to its feet with a spectacular save on Wyatt Johnston during the final Dallas power play. Zegras, watching from the penalty box, could only marvel at that sensational play.
“That was the worst two minutes of my life,” Zegras grinned. “Like it was so slow. I don’t even know what happened. I don’t even know how my stick got in his skate (of Adam Erne) like that.”
Officials had to pry Zegras’ stick out of the Dallas player’s skate, so there was no whining about the penalty call.
“Incredible save,” Zegras said of the Ersson stop. “The PK did an incredible job against the best power play in the league (actually second). To kill one off in a game where we needed two points, amazing.”
Several Flyers, along with coach Rick Tocchet, praised the work of Ersson, who continues to amaze since the Olympic break. He’s 5-0 and has allowed only eight goals.
“He’s been solid mentally,” Tocchet said. “Good practices, good demeanor. I don’t see a big difference other than he’s got a lot of confidence.”
Added Travis Konecny: “Awesome guy, awesome teammate. Fun to be around off the ice. Fun to practice with. He’s one of those guys that keeps working, keeps pressing. You want to play hard in front of him. It’s a big moment for him and he’s a big-time player.”
Konecny scored on the power play at 9:48 of the second period to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Konecny was stationed just below the left circle. He picked up a deflected puck, deked to the short side, then looped across in front, fell to his knees and tucked a shot past Casey DeSmith just inside the far post.
The Flyers’ only big miscue of the period cost them that lead. With Philadelphia on the power play, Jamie Drysdale lost his footing chasing down a puck in his own end. Artuu Hyry took control, raced in and sent a shot past Ersson for an unassisted goal at 17:53.
In a scoreless first period, the Flyers were able to keep the Dallas vaunted power play off the scoreboard in the one opportunity it had. The Stars have the second-ranked power play in the NHL, clicking at 29.0 percent going into Sunday action.
Tocchet is encouraged by the way his team has been playing in pressure situations. One of those players on Sunday night was Zegras.
“I thought he had a great game tonight,” Tocchet said. “I thought his effort in overtime, to win that puck battle. . .it was a big game for him. He was dragging guys into the fight.”

>Martone possible for power play?

If newly signed Porter Martone, late of Michigan State, does get into some Flyers action shortly, maybe they should try him on the power play. Eight of his 25 goals this past season came on the power play and the year before that he had seven for the Brampton Steelheads of Canadian junior.

>Success in back-to-backs

Tocchet has been stressing better play in back-to-backs and now it seems to be paying off.
“Mental toughness,” Tocchet said. “Leadership in the room. We talk about that stuff all the time. Sometimes back-to-backs play in your mind. If you play a smart game, you can win those hockey games.”

>Short shots

The Flyers get Monday off from practice, then head to Washington for a key game against the Capitals on Tuesday.
Owen Tippett’s second hat trick of the season on Saturday night in Detroit marked the first time a Flyer player had achieved that since James van Riemsdyk during the 2018-19 season.
One big reason for the Flyers’ recent turnaround has been the way they’ve limited opponents’ shot totals. Entering the Dallas game, the Flyers stood fourth in fewest shots allowed at 25.9 since March 11.