For a second straight game, the Flyers gave up a late lead.
At least on Sunday night in Calgary they managed to salvage a point.
The Flyers took a 3-2 lead into the third period but much like the game against the Rangers in New York on Thursday night, they couldn’t hold onto it.
Calgary tied the score in the third and then went on to hand Philadelphia a 4-3 overtime loss at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
If not for goaltender Dan Vladar’s heroics, the Flyers probably would have lost the game in regulation time.
Owen Tippett’s power-play goal at 15:07 of the second period broke a 2-2 tie and sent the Flyers to the third period with a lead.
But they couldn’t hold it.
Ex-Flyer Joel Farabee scored a shorthanded goal at 8:27 of the third and Matt Coronato connected at 4:08 of OT for the winner.
The game was similar to the one in New York. The Flyers thought they learned a lesson from that one but apparantly they didn’t.
Coach Rick Tocchet pointed out all the issues the Flyers had in this one: Namely, Farabee’s shorthanded goal while the Flyers had the lead and were less than 12 minutes away from victory in regulation time and a three-on-one rush for the winning goal in OT.
“It’s like broken record moments, right?” Tocchet said in a televised interview. “We have a power play, we’re up 3-2. Give up (one) shorthanded. (In overtime) we don’t even get a shot on net. They have a three-on-one and they score.
“That’s the moments that we’re looking for. I think we were just OK tonight. They had like 14 shots in the third and they started (to come back). That’s when we need to make plays under pressure. Someone’s got to take charge there, you’ve got to end it.”
The one point offered little solace to Tocchet.
“No moral victories,” he said. “We need some guys to play under pressure and make plays for us. It’s hard to be positive when you almost give it to them. We gave it to them.”
Tippett realized this was another lost opportunity.
“I thought we put together a pretty good game,” he said. “We pressured their ‘D.’ We made it hard for them to come out and create chances. I thought we just played a little scared rather than taking it too them.”
Added Sean Couturier: “Right now we’re just finding ways to lose games. We got to dial it in. Do the little details right all game. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to figure it out.”
Noel Acciari’s second goal in two games gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead at 2:16 of the second period. He got the puck in deep, chased it down and then was in good position to tip in Nick Seeler’s shot.
The lead didn’t last long.
Zach Whitecloud scored at 5:59 when Cole Knuble failed to clear the puck at the blue line.
The Flyers got on the scoreboard first for only the seventh time in 19 games when Denver Barkey connected for his second goal of the season at 12:46 of the first period. His shot off a Couturier rebound evaded goalie Devin Cooley.
Couturier’s assists on the Flyers’ first two goals give him 367 for his career, moving him past Rod Brind’Amour into ninth place on the Flyers’ alltime list. Coming up next at 369 are Eric Lindros and Rick MacLeish.
Bobby Clarke is the alltime leader at 852.
Barkey’s goal was his second in the past three games. He’s starting to find the range after battling through an injury.
“I think over time, over the last few weeks, I’m starting to feel a hundred percent again,” Barkey said in a televised interview. “I’m getting back in the flow of things. Get some chemistry with some of the guys. Also I’m getting some power-play looks. Working on some small things and all that’s paying off.”
Calgary tied it at 15:26 with Zayne Parekh evading checks by Tippett and Trevor Zegras to finish the deal.
>Short shots
The Flyers head to Vancouver for a Tuesday night game, the third game of the trip. . .Jamie Drysdale had an assist on Barkey’s goal, extending his point streak to four games. That’s the longest of his career.
Be the first to comment