10 in-a-row and no signs of slowing down. #TankForDahlin is officially in full force and with just 10 games left in the season, the Red Wings now sit just 5 points away from first place in the standings (we’re looking at them in reverse order now). However, a win today would hurt their lottery chances as it would move them from 4th to 6th. And I just have a feeling they’re going to bug me and win tonight. Also, familiar face Petr Mrazek returns to Detroit for the first time since being traded. Even though he already picked up his 5th win for conditional draft pick purposes, you know he’ll be looking to avenge his old team. Also, don’t look now, but the Flyers only sit 6 points up on a playoff spot and have played 3 more games than the Panthers (who we need to lose to Ottawa tonight). A lot on the line as you can tell, let’s roll.
1st Period
Ken Daniels on the call for NBC! Good start to the night. Might be the most empty LCA has been for a Wings game yet. Pretty slow start to the game. Both teams are flying up-and-down the ice, which would seem contradictory, but no chances for either side, just back-and-forth we go. First chance of the night leads to the first big save for Mrazek after Frans Nielsen tried to spin-around a backhander in the slot that Mrazek got with his shoulder. Red Wings starting to pick up play. Athanasiou and Svechnikov both with decent looks for Detroit. Flyers top line generating major zone pressure, but a 45-foot Voracek slapper is held on to by Jimmy Howard. 1st TV timeout.
Flyers continue to tilt the ice in their favor as majority of play has been in the Red Wing zone of late. Red Wings get their first chance in a while and again Mrazek comes up big on a back-hander in the slot, this time from Tyler Bertuzzi. Not really much else going on as we hit the 2nd TV timeout. First penalty of the game and guess who it is? That slime ball Radko Gudas. Red Wings PP. Guess how the PP went? Yup. Final TV timeout now of a very slow and dragging 1st period.
*Checks scoreboard to pass time during the commercial* oh good, the Panthers are up 2-1 on the Senators. Flyers get a major odd man rush off a Red Wings chance the other way but someone couldn’t capitalize. Both shots missed the net it seems. Best chance of the period for Philly by far. Red Wings top line having a good game so far, again Larkin the best Red Wing, at least up to this point. A brutal pinch by Dekeyser led to another 2-on-1 for the Flyers, but Howard stopped Voracek once again. That pretty much does it for a very underwhelming 1st Period. Scoreless.
Score: 0-0
Shots: 13-9 DET
2nd Period
Oh good, first Red Wings penalty is to Evgeny Svechnikov who was late coming back to his man on the backdoor. He did save a goal by taking down Oskar Lindbolm, but Blashill will surely cut his minutes down for that. Big chance for the Flyers, but a wide open Voracek just fanned on a shot in the far circle. Nothing else doing on the Philly PP as we are back to 5-on-5 hockey. Flyers starting to buzz now, PP really sparked their offense. And just like that, Dylan Larkin finally ends his goal drought. Howard kicks out a shot which Larkin turns into a 2-on-1 that he buries perfectly far side passed Mrazek. 1-0 Detroit. They got a couple good chances after that, but Johnathan Ericsson takes a slashing penalty. 2nd Flyers PP coming up after the 1st TV timeout.
Wow, just like that LGD with a frickin’ laser, short side, glove, top cheddar on Mrazek. 2-0 Red Wings (Start losing please). Flyers still on the PP and they score!! Giroux fired a shot through traffic that hit the post and landed in Couturier’s feet had did a little “look what I found” for an easy goal. 2-1 Detroit. So fun stat on the broadcast. Both Larkin and Couturier had 17 and 15-game goal droughts, respectively. Both scored. For Larkin, it was the 50th of his career. For Couturier, it was his 100th. Neat stuff right there I felt like sharing. The Red Wings on the attack again and EVGENY SVECHNIKOV GETS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL!! Waited years to write that sentence. 3-1 Red Wings and Mrazek gets BENCHED. Back-and-forth the teams go and we reach the 2nd TV timeout.
A break for the Flyers gave Scott Laughton a breakaway down the far boards, only he was met at the goal by Nick Jensen and wasn’t able to get much on his shot. Final TV timeout. Flyers with a chance in front that led to Howard scrambling, but making the save. He’s been good tonight. The Flyers tried to milk out the period, and a sleeping Philadelphia defense led to a wide open chance in front, but Frk was robbed. That will do it for two periods. We’re winning and it’s not good.
Score: 3-1 DET
Shots: 22-14 DET
3rd Period
Alright, let’s lose in regulation on 3. 1, 2, 3! Red Wings not sitting back here early, which is surprising because they are known for that. Svech has been bumped up to the 3rd line as well now playing with Nielsen and Abdelkader. Both teams with good chances early in the period, but no real threats quite yet. Wow, big chance for the Flyers and a sprawling Howard kept the puck out. Shot came from the point and landed at the side of the cage. Konecny and Lindholm were in on the play, but Howard saved the goal while on his rear end. 1st TV timeout.
Right out of the TV timeout, Flyers score. Already outshooting Detroit 9-1 in this period, a shot from Laughton looked like it deflected off of Matt Read in front of Howard. Lead down to 3-2. Hahaha right after, Zetterberg takes a penalty. And just like that, tied game. Shayne Gostisbehere rifled a shot from the point and it found the back of the net. 3-3. New game. Let’s go. 2nd TV Timeout.
Pretty tight game since the Flyers tied it. Red Wings clearly seem like they’re on their heels, could be bad news for them down the stretch. Right as they show a graphic saying the Red Wings trail 11-2 in shots, Mantha finds a lose puck behind the goal and Larkin snipes glove high, Wings take the lead back 4-3 (sigh). BUT WAIT. The Flyers come back…. I think. Couturier throws one to the goal that is deflected by Konecny and it goes in. But the refs say no goal as the net was coming off simultaneously as the puck went it. We go to review (should be a goal). TIE GAME! The goal counts and it’s 4-4.
All Flyers now. Red Wings seem to be hanging on for dear life with about 4 minutes to go. Somehow, some way, Wayne Simmonds just missed a wide open chance in front. Now Gostisbehere almost took the lead. When I say all Flyers, it is nothing but Flyers. Gudas now with a shot that missed and conveniently the net comes off. Flyers continue swarming and Dekeyser takes an interference penalty in front of the net. Flyers PP with 35 seconds left in regulation. Crap. The Flyers do everything but score. We head to overtime.
Score: 4-4
Shots: 30-26 PHI
Overtime
Flyers start with a 4-on-3 PP. The Flyers decide to not shoot the puck at all and we’re back to even strength. Wow. Mantha with a beautiful feed to an open Dekeyser in front and he was straight ROBBED by Lyon. Back to 3-on-3 we go. Back-and-forth we go, lots of action, no game winners yet. Red Wings controlling zone time. Larkin robbed of a hat trick in front now by Lyon. Red Wings denied on a 2-on-1 at the end of overtime. Red Wings dominated OT, but we head to a shootout.
Shootout
Nielsen scores, 1-0
Voracek saved
Nyquist saved
Weal saved
Larkin saved
Patrick misses
Red Wings win. Awful. Need to lose to Washington Thursday. Check this out while we wait: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMig8EbUFx8&t=13s #TankForDahlin
