Flyers Cough Up 2-0 Lead, Now Head Home In 2-0 Deficit Against East's Top Seed

Flyers cough up 2-0 lead, now head home in 2-0 deficit against East's top seed originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

RALEIGH, N.C. — Travis Sanheim felt there would be a “big difference” in the Flyers’ start to Game 2.

His feeling was right.

But the Flyers ended up wasting an early 2-0 lead Monday night. They couldn’t nail it down and suffered a damaging 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.

The Flyers now head home with a 2-0 deficit in this best-of-seven second-round playoff series against the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

“We’ve been dead before and we’ve climbed out of the grave,” Rick Tocchet said. “We keep hearing that we’re dead and dead, but the guys won’t give up, so that’s why I’m proud of them.”

Taylor Hall scored the winner with 1:06 minutes left in overtime. You could argue the Flyers were the better team in OT.

“We played a good hockey game,” Tocchet said. “After Game 1, I heard some people [saying] it’s embarrassing and this and that. … I thought the young guys competed, I’m really proud of these guys. [Carolina] just made the play at the end. That’s it.”

Seth Jarvis tied the game with 8:39 minutes remaining in regulation.

Two nights ago, the Flyers appeared shell-shocked to open the game. They trailed 2-0 just 7:30 minutes into the action and went on to be shut out, 3-0.

“A much better effort from our group,” Sanheim said. “I thought we deserved better.”

Prior to Game 2, the Hurricanes had not trailed all postseason. The Flyers stunned them with two goals not even five minutes into the game. Jamie Drysdale buried one on the power play and Sean Couturier struck 39 seconds later.

Carl Grundstrom played his first game of these playoffs and assisted Couturier’s goal. He entered the lineup for Garnet Hathaway.

The Flyers, though, didn’t build on their lead. They’ve scored just seven goals over their last five games in these playoffs after ripping off 11 through their first three games.

“It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to come out with this one,” Drysdale said. “There are definitely things we can take and learn and know how we need to play to be successful. It definitely sucks, but we’ve got a few days here, regroup, learn from it and come back hard at home.”

Tocchet’s club was without Owen Tippett for a second straight game. More on his status here.

Going back to the start of the 2021-22 season, the Flyers have lost 18 of their last 21 games against Carolina.

• Dan Vladar gave the Flyers a strong effort.

“He was unbelievable,” Drysdale said. “The star of the show and completely kept us in [it].”

The 28-year-old converted 40 saves on 43 shots. He couldn’t glove a loose puck on the OT winner.

Just 2:42 minutes into overtime, Vladar made a sharp pad save on Eric Robinson, who turned and ripped one from the slot.

Jarvis beat Vladar after the Flyers backed up defensively and allowed the talented winger to skate right into his shot.

Vladar was not happy with Logan Stankoven and Sebastian Aho running into him during the third period.

Under four and a half minutes into the second period, Vladar delivered a couple of massive saves on Robinson to bail out the Flyers’ power play and keep his team’s lead at 2-1.

Not long after that, Sanheim made a heads-up defensive play to prevent Carolina from tying the game. A redirection snuck through Vladar’s legs, but Sanheim batted the puck away as it trickled toward the goal line.

Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen stopped 34 of the Flyers’ 36 shots.

He denied a Matvei Michkov backhand attempt with 5:43 minutes left in overtime. He turned away a wide-open Travis Konecny with 4:45 minutes to go.

The Flyers’ alternate captain was accountable after the game.

“I should have finished that, it should have been over, we’re going home with a win,” Konecny said. “But we’re going home to our fans, we know what’s like there, so we’re excited.”

Noah Cates had a great look with eight seconds remaining in regulation, but Hall blocked it.

• The Flyers’ power play finished 1 for 7 and the penalty kill went 5 for 6.

The Flyers had a power play in overtime and recorded one shot on net. Carolina blocked a pair of shots.

The Hurricanes trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 2-1 in the first period when Nikolaj Ehlers blasted one past Vladar. Rasmus Ristolainen had a failed clear that kept Carolina in the offensive zone.

• The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Thursday (8 p.m. ET/TNT).

“We’re going home in front of our fans and we’ve got a good opportunity to get back in the series,” Sanheim said. “Just take it one game at a time. That’s all we can do right now, try to find the first win and go from there.”