Instant reactions: Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett power Flyers 6-5 SHOOTOUT win

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What a ridiculous f’n game.

The Philadelphia Flyers erased two two-goal deficits on the back of huge nights for Owen Tippett, Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak, and once again proved their shootout supremacy, beating the St. Louis Blues 6-5.

Both Jordan Binnington and Sam Ersson got lit up, while also making some impressive saves, although Binnington got the better of those. After 10 total goals were socred through 60 minutes, the Flyguys once again treated us to some FREE HOCKEY, playing into overtime for the third straight game, fourth time in five games, and eighth OT contest through 17 games.

Zegras had the game on his stick with a penalty shot in overtime, but somehow Binnington withstood the stickhandling wizardry and denied the Flyers’ star. Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale also had OT chances, but of course the game went to a shootout.

Zegras wouldn’t be denied a second time and torched Binnington to get to 16/24 for his career in the shootout, while Sam Ersson was perfect after another shaky game, and the Flyers won a wild one in St. Louis.

First period

Well, that didn’t take long. A neutral zone turnover by Trevor Zegras gives Jordan Kyrou a clear path to the net and he beat Sam Ersson far side with a wrister. Great play to make the interception by Kyrou, but Zegras needs to be a little less casual.

Jimmy Snuggerud nearly put the Blues up 2-0 six minutes into the period on a point blank chance, but Ersson swallowed up the slot shot. Good save after the early goal allowed.

ZEGRAS RESPONDS TO HIS TURNOVER WITH THE GAME-TYING GOAL! Zegras made a play at the defensive end to get the puck up to Christian Dvorak, and Dvorak returned it to the trailing Zegras who beat Jordan Binnington five-hole for his fifth goal as a Flyer, and his first on the road. While this is only Philly’s sixth game away from Xfinity Mobile Arena, Ziggy has been far more productive at home than on the road early in this season. Thirteen of his 16 points and all of his previous four goals were scored in front of the Flyers faithful.

Not to be denied again, Snuggerud finishes a solid play by Robert Thomas who stripped Travis Konecny at the point and rushed into the zone, spinning around and passing to the trailing Snuggerud in the slot, and this time he bested Ersson to make it 2-1 before the midway point of the opening period. The Flyers are really struggling with turnovers and puck management so far, and St. Louis does not look like a team near the Western Conference’s basement.

Jordan Binnington just iced the puck off a Flyers dump-and-change. Odd.

Ersson needed to make two pretty big saves with around four-five minutes left in the frame, as the Blues’ puck movement is really perplexing the Flyers, who just look a step slow. The failed clears also aren’t helping.

With two minutes left Zegras nearly setup the game-tying goal on a hard working shift in the o-zone, and eventually worked a puck down the left wing wall to find Dvorak on the far side of the net, but Dvorak couldn’t calm down the puck for an effective chance. Impressive vision from #46, regardless.

The period ends with shots on goal tied at eight a piece, but it feels like St. Louis carried the majority of the play, pinning the road team in defensively for stretches and threatening with chances in the middle. The 2-1 lead feels apt. On the bright side, despite allowing a pair of goals, Ersson has been mostly solid, making six saves, many of which were on shots from dangerous locations. The Flyers need to chase less and be more decisive with the puck for the next 40 minutes.

This is the sixth time the Flyers have trailed after the first period, and they’ve gone 2-1-2 (.600 points-percentage) in the first five. So they’re not in unfamiliar territory, and are still in decent shape to extract at least one standings point in the first game of this back-to-back, but they’ll have to force some turnovers of their own and get more chances against Binnington, who came into the game with an .873 save-percentage.

Second period

After a penalty-free first period, a high-sticking minor was eventually called against Dvorak after a little confusion about which team was going to be called. But here we go, another penalty to kill for a strong but over worked Philly PK. The Flyers get the kill and they’re now

About five minutes into the period Philly had their first series of chances, highlighted by Konecny nearly burying a loose puck but it rattled around a sprawling Binnington and stayed out, and the Blues moved up ice and pinned the Flyers on a long shift, but the Orange & Black survived for a moment but after Owen Tippett canceled an icing but went offside in so doing, St. Louis wins the ensuing draw clean and Justin Faulk bombs one through Ersson for the 3-1 lead.

THE FLYERS GET ONE BACK IMMEDIATELTY! Twenty three seconds after falling down 3-1, it’s now 3-2! Dvorak cleans up a scramble in front, reminiscent of what had just happened prior to the Blues possession, and Philly is back within one. Assists to Tippett, only his second of the year, and Emil Andrae, for his first point of the season. Andrae is plus-2 in 8:10 of ice time so far tonight.

Philadelphia has come to life a bit after their second goal, spending way more time on offense and getting traffic in front of Binnington. Shots are now 14-11 Flyers with 9:41 left in the middle frame.

Garnet Hathaway appears to have left the bench after delivering a hit along the boards and seemingly jamming his knee into the wall. TK repalced him for one shift, but Hathaway returned to the bench shortly after.

PECOOOOOO! After spending a little too long in their own zone, albeit without surrendering a shot, the Flyers get back on offense and draw a trip in the left wing corner. Colton Parayko to the box, and Philadelphia gets some 5-on-4 time against the league’s worst home PK.

More of that patented Zegras vision on display, with Trevor weighing his options, sending his eyes to the point while finding Tyson Foerster with a cross-ice feed for a one-timer, but Binnington was there. As the penalty expired the slot opened up after Michkov cut around the right wing circle. His initial shot was blocked but he followed the puck and got a backhand chance, but the Blues’ goalie froze it. Philly leads the shot battle 18-11 with 2:49 remaining.

ZEGRAS TIES IT AGAIN! Tippett fed Andrae with a one-timer and Zegras tipped it up and over Binnington to knot the score at three with 90 seconds to go in the second. The much-maligned Tippett has tripled his assist total for the year in under 40 minutes, while Zegras has his first two career goals against the Blues, having entered the game with 0G, 6A in 13 games against St. Louis. In under 11 minutes of ice time through the first two stanzas, Andrae is plus-3 with a pair of assists.

Philly nearly tripled St. Louis in the SOG department in the second, putting up 11 to the Blues’ four. After allowing the third goal, the Flyers came alive, controlling the latter half of the period, after failing to convert on some earlier chances.

Optimistic stat: the Flyers are plus-6 in third periods this season, outscoring opponents 15-9, while the Blues are minus-2 (16-18).

Third period

The Blues strike early again, with Dylan Holloway ripping a shot from the left wing circle after some confusion at the Flyers’ blue line created a ton of space for the St. Louis offense to operate. Deflating start to the period after fighting back to tie the game. At least they have plenty of time to get back even, with the puck crossing the line only 40 seconds into the third.

All this Flyers backing up when the Blues enter the zone is creating a ton of space for St. Louis to make plays, while simultaneously causing more traffic than necessary in front of Ersson. I’m not going to blame Ersson for the first two, but the third and fourth would have been nice saves to make.

Robert Thomas extends the lead to 5-3 after Robert Thomas slams home a slot chance on a feed from behind the net from Snuggerud following a won puck battle. The Blues are back to owning possession and pressuring with dangerous chances. Ersson actually made a couple of saves to keep it a two-goal deficit, as Philly’s defense continues to sag.

After a good shift by the Cates line to build back some momentum, Matvei Michkov nearly made it 5-4 on a rebound, but once again Binnington was there.

NOW IT’S 5-4! Christian Dvorak snipes his second of the game, skating right to left through the slot and shooting back against the grain. Tippett made a nice play to find Dvorak, and now has three assists in the game. Dvorak also has a three-point night.

OWEN TIPPETT TIES THE GAME TO END HIS 10-GAME GOAL DROUGHT! This line is high-event to say the least! Tippett receives a setup from a fading-away Zegras low in the right wing circle in the slot and hammers the puck past Binnigton and we’re even at five with 9:31 left in regulation. The points count for Tippett’s fourth and Zegras’ third of the game.

With 2:30 left we’ve had some back-and-forth chances, with the pace slowing after the frenetic first 10-11 minutes of the third. Shots are 24-16 in favor of Philly, and while typically I’d say this game is ticketed for OT, the craziness thus far has me optimistic we could get a regulation decision on this Friday night.

This defense is still too reminiscent of Andrew MacDonald with all the cushion they’re giving the Blues in the d-zone.

Nope. Overtime.

Overtime

After never touching the puck through almost 3 minutes of OT, Zegras gets sprung on a breakaway but is hauled down at center ice, and ZEGRAS GETS AN OT PENALTY SHOT!

Binnington does the impossible and stops Zegras on the free breakaway attempt, and the game remains 5-5 with two minutes left before the shootout. Shockingly, Zegras is 0/2 for his career on penalty shots.

Bobby Brink got a few chances in the 3v3 after the failed penalty shot, but Binnington made a few big saves in the final 1:30. After a missed chance for the Blues, TK and Jamie Drysdale took off on a 2-on-1, but by the time Konecny fed Drysdale he was on the doorstep and couldn’t do much.

The Blues nearly won it with the clock expiring, but Kyrou found post as we hit zeroes and now it’s time for the shootout!

Shootout

Robert Thomas: save

Trevor Zegras: GOAL

Jimmy Snuggerud: save

Matvei Michkov: save

Dylan Holloway: miss

FLYERS WIN 6-5! WOOOOOO!

Watch PHLY Flyers Postgame