Shots: Hurricanes 12 (39 overall) – Flyers 5 (23 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 14 – Panthers 12
Notable:
* The Foerster-Cates-Brink line put on a forechecking clinic on the sequence that led up to the tying goal.
* After being charged with 22 giveaways in the Carolina game, the Flyers shaved off five in regulation on Saturday. They still gave up too many counterattacks (and paid the price at times) but it was a baby step forward. In terms of bringing the puck through the neutral zone and establishing offensive zone possession — except for the Cates line — the Flyers still struggled for most of the first and third periods.
OVERTIME SYNOPSIS
The Flyers thought they won the game at 4:06 as Brink put the puck in the net. The initial on-ice ruling was a goal. However, Sanheim made contact with Andersen while skating through the crease.
The Hurricanes’ goalie initiated the contact. However, Sanheim was not pushed into the goalkeeper. The NHL Rule Book states that incidental contact in the crease, even if the goalie initiates it, should be ruled no goal unless the attacking team player is pushed into the netminder and cannot avoid contact.
At 4:43, on the lone official overtime shot by either team, Carolina won. Sebastian Aho teed up a one-timer for Jarvis, who ripped the puck into the net from the left circle outside the hash marks. Shayne Gostisbehere got the second assist.
Final faceoffs were 38-31 Carolina. Couturier led the Flyers with 11 wins on 20 draws.
FLYERS STARTING LINEUP
Travis Konecny – Sean Couturier – Matvei Michkov
Christian Dvorak– Trevor Zegras – Owen TIppett
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin – Jett Luchanko – Garnet Hathaway
Nick Seeler – Travis Sanheim
Egor Zamula – Jamie Drysdale
Adam Ginning – Noah Juulsen
Samuel Ersson
[Dan Vladar]
Scratches: Rodrigo Abols (healthy), Nicolas Deslauriers (healthy), Dennis Gilbert (healthy).
Postgame RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)
1. Puck possession.
Carolina has been the NHL’s best puck possession team for much of the 2020s. Saturday’s game was no exception. The Flyers did a good job of hanging tough. However, the Hurricanes had the puck much more than the Flyers did overall.
2. The Cates Line.
The trio of Cates centering Foerster and Brink was often the most effective Philadelphia line last season whether they scored or not. They’ve picked right up where they left off. On an individual basis, Brink played one of the best games of his career on Saturday night.
3. The Drysdale factor.
Drysdale skated 23:08. He’s still looking for his first shot on goal of the young season. However, although he wasn’t credited with an assist, Drysdale was a key cog in the eventual Tippett power play goal.
4. Drawing and converting power plays.
The Flyers won the special teams battle on this night. Carolina won the game on even strength strikes.