Senators Take Down The Flyers, 4-3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek scored shootout goals to help the Ottawa Senators beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on Saturday.
The Senators blew a 3-0 lead before Michalek and Spezza bailed them out in the shootout. Matt Read scored in the shootout for the Flyers.
Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Neil all scored first-period goals for the Senators.
Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier and Braydon Coburn evened it at 3 with goals in the second period for the Flyers.
Senators goalie Craig Anderson was flawless over a thrilling 5-minute overtime during which the Flyers dominated in every way but on the scoreboard.
The Flyers know how to fall behind early and then rally with a vengeance. They did again in the second period with a three-goal effort sparked by a gnarly goal.
Brayden Schenn's slapper nailed Simmonds near his right eye and the puck shot into the net for a goal. Simmonds crumbled to the ice and needed assistance straight to the locker room. Simmonds, who does not wear a visor, later returned. Interviewed on TV at intermission, a helmetless Simmonds had caked blood and some fresh red streaks above his right eye and on his nose.
Simmonds' toughness has made him a huge fan favorite. He was busted open by an errant puck in warmups last month, needed 25 stitches in his lips, then scored two goals.
The Flyers caught a break when Couturier's second effort to put the puck past Anderson was reviewed because Filip Kuba knocked the net off its base. After a lengthy review, the ref explained his decision — well, he did, but the mic was out and no one heard him. They all saw his signal the goal was good and it was quickly 3-2.
Coburn played close to the net and pounded in his fourth goal of the season late in the period to even the score.
Anderson stopped all 15 shots in the first, including a terrific save on Claude Giroux's short-handed breakaway, only to allow three goals on 14 shots in the second.
Ilya Bryzgalov, the hottest goalie in the NHL with a 10-2-1 record in March, sat out his second straight game because of a chip fracture in his right foot. He's listed as doubtful for Sunday.
The Flyers sure wished he was in net after Sergei Bobrovsky's wretched first period.
Alfredsson started the fun when he reversed the puck behind the net and dumped it to Spezza, who was waiting by the post and scored his 32nd.
Alfredsson, who scored two goals in each of the last two games, scored his 27th from the high slot. The Flyers tried to clear the puck, but Erik Karlsson intercepted the puck, and made the short side pass to Alfredsson who keep his scoring streak going.
Neil's 13th goal of the season was a simple shot from the circle that bounced through Bobrovksy's legs for a 3-0 lead. There was no doubt Bobrovsky should have stopped that puck and the Flyers fans erupted in boos.
Ottawa came inches from a 4-0 lead when a puck slipped behind Bobrovsky and trickled toward the goal line until a fast-moving Flyer poked it free.
The Flyers trailed 2-0 for the fifth time in eight games and were booed off the ice at intermission.
The Senators had the last four nights off and now hold a four-point cushion over Washington for seventh in the East. The Flyers are three points behind Pittsburgh for fourth in the East, taking some of the shine off their matchup Sunday.
Notes: Former Flyer Pelle Eklund was at the game. ... The Senators are 3-6-1 in last 10 visits to Philadelphia. The Flyers are 5-10-3 this season in games that start before 7 p.m. local.
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