Travis Sanheim scores game-winner to cement Flyers’ 3-2 OT comeback victory vs. Blues

You’ve heard this all before: Another slow start. Another early deficit. Another comeback.

The Flyers trailed 2-0 and tied things up before Travis Sanheim scored the game-winner in overtime to give the Flyers a 3-2 win. It is the Flyers’ second win in five games.

Travis Konecny, who missed his shot on an open net in the last minute of regulation, chipped the puck to Sanheim in the Flyers’ end. The defenseman, in front of several members of Hockey Canada’s Olympic staff, skated the puck down the ice and ripped it past Blues goalie Joel Hofer. It was Sanheim’s third goal of the season and fourth career overtime winner.

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Despite having 28 chances in the first period, with six coming from high-danger spots, according to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers trailed after 20 minutes. It is the sixth straight game Philly allowed the opposition to get on the board and the 13th time this season. They also tied the New York Islanders with their ninth comeback win.

The comeback started late in the second period.

Rodrigo Ābols scored his first goal of the season to cut into the Blues’ 2-0 lead.

Trevor Zegras pulled up at the half-wall in the Blues’ end and carried the puck deep, chipping it to Owen Tippett. Despite being pinned by Blues defenseman Matthew Kessel along the end boards, Tippett sent a backhand pass to Ābols, who hopped in after Christian Dvorak went for the change, following the play for the goal.

It was Ābols’ third of his career. He spent the night centering the fourth line between Nic Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway. Ābols and coach Rick Tocchet said postgame the line focused on being more predictable, and it worked. Natural Stat Trick had the line down for 13 chances to two for St. Louis at five-on-five; they had seven scoring chances to zero for the Blues.

Everyone thought the Flyers tied the game at 2-2 with 11 minutes, 45 seconds left in regulation. On a power play, Bobby Brink sent a cross-crease pass through the legs of Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker to Zegras near the right post. Zegras sent the one-timer off the bottom of the glove of Hofer and then saw the puck bounce off the ice and the right post.

And then they did tie it up on Tyson Foerster’s fifth goal of the season.

Blues forward Robert Thomas tried to clear the puck, but Emil Andrae tracked down the puck inside St. Louis’ blueline. Moved up to the second pairing with Jamie Drysdale, the puck-moving defenseman fed Foerster for the one-timer from the top of the left face-off circle.

Andrae saved a sure goal with three minutes left in regulation when he blocked a shot by Dalibor Dvorský after Pavel Buchnevich got robbed on the doorstep by Dan Vladař.

It was the Justin Faulk show in the first period. The St. Louis defenseman, who also scored last Friday in the Flyers’ 6-5 shootout win in Missouri, notched two goals in a 6:37 span to put the Flyers in an early hole.

His first goal of the night was a seeing-eye one-timer from the point that found the top left corner. Vladař, who stands 6-foot-5, could be seen popping his head over the 5-9 Nathan Walker of the Blues in front and Flyers teammate Dvorak, who is 6-1. Andrae was tying up St. Louis’ Alexey Toropchenko in front, too, and the puck squeaked through everyone.

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Faulk’s second of the night was a power-play goal. Standing at the goal line, Jake Neighbours fed Faulk across the ice in the left face-off circle for the one-timer. The Flyers entered the game with the third-best penalty kill in the NHL (87.5%), but allowed a tally for the second straight game.

The Flyers held their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night. Jason Myrtetus, a Flyers broadcaster and host of the “Flyers Daily” podcast, dropped the ceremonial puck alongside his Penn care team, which included his oncologist, Dr. Daniel Altman, Heather Levinsky, CRNP, and his surgeon, Dr. Erica Pettke. The players also wore special SkateSkins in warmups, with seven skaters wearing ones they designed with children ages 8-19 who are battling cancer. The goalies also wore masks designed with children, too.

The Flyers practice on Friday at noon in Voorhees before honoring Bernie Parent with a public celebration of life at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 6 p.m. They then host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (7 p.m., NBCSP). New Jersey is without Jack Hughes, who underwent surgery on his finger a week ago after a “freak accident” when he got cut by glass at a team dinner.