Flyers pick up much-needed win over Stars, 2-1, in overtime to remain in playoff hunt
The win moved the Flyers into a tie in points with the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators.
The Flyers needed that one.
Not just because they were facing the No. 2 team in the NHL, the Dallas Stars. Not just because they were on the second night of a back-to-back and grinding one out when tired — for the record, Dallas was on a back-to-back, too.
And not just because Porter Martone was at Xfinity Mobile Arena after signing his entry-level contract earlier in the day.
They needed the 2-1 win in overtime against the Stars, and their third straight win, to climb within striking distance of the Flyers’ first playoff appearance since 2020.
With the win, the Flyers have 86 points. They move into a tie in points with the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, with all three teams trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets, who lost in a shootout to the Boston Bruins on Sunday, by two points for the second wild card slot in the Eastern Conference.
» READ MORE: Flyers sign top prospect Porter Martone to an NHL contract
The Flyers are also two points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the third-seed in the Metropolitan Division and three points back of the New York Islanders, who the Flyers play on Friday, for No. 2.
And yes, the Flyers, who have a game in hand on the Blue Jackets and Islanders, did know how big the win was.
“I was peeking at the board,” Travis Konecny said with a grin when asked if he knew that Columbus had lost in a shootout.
Trevor Zegras scored the game-winner three minutes, 26 seconds into overtime when he carried the puck up the ice down the right wing and buried it through the five-hole of Stars goalie Casey DeSmith. The goal is his first since March 11, snapping an eight-game drought, and tied his career-high set in 2021-22 and 2022-23 with the Anaheim Ducks.
The fourth game-winning goal by Zegras this season helped him extend his point streak to five games (one goal, four assists).
Zegras almost cost the Flyers the game when he was called for a tripping penalty with 2:48 left in regulation; his blade actually got stuck in the skate of Aldam Erne and had to be pulled out after. The Stars entered the night with the NHL’s second-best power play.
“It was the worst two minutes of my life, like it was so slow, and I don’t even know what happened,” Zegras recalled. “I didn’t even know how my stick, I didn’t skate like that. And an incredible save. PK did an incredible job.”
The save was by Sam Ersson, who registered his first career assist on the game-winner. He preserved the tie with 1:21 seconds left in regulation when he robbed Wyatt Johnson with his left pad on a Dallas power play.
Johnston, who has scored 24 of his 40 goals with the man advantage, was sitting at the left post and tried to slam a cross-crease pass from Matt Duchene, but Ersson came up big.
“It was unbelievable,” said captain Sean Couturier of Ersson’s save. “Obviously, the difference in the game. He’s a gamer. He’s there when you need him. He can make those big saves, and he played great tonight. He kept us in all night. And, yeah, I’m happy for him.”
Ersson has now won five straight starts after starting the season 8-10-5. Across his past six appearances, which include some mop-up duty against the New York Rangers in early March, he has a 1.46 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
After a first period that saw a few chances, the Flyers got on the board first in the second period with a power-play goal after Rasmus Ristolainen drew a high-sticking call on Mikko Rantanen as he dropped into the slot.
The second power play of three for the Orange and Black saw great movement and crisp passing before it ended with Konecny walking out from behind the goal line with 12 seconds left. Konecny turned and buried the puck around the left pad of Casey DeSmith for his 26th of the season.
“Travis had a really good game tonight,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “I thought his puck decisions were really good. And I think he was leading the charge with the way we had to play against Dallas. I thought he led the charge there.”
“I’m just trying to play hard. I know that, as an older guy on the team, I think setting an example,” Konecny said of his game, which included eight shot attempts, five shots on goal, and the opening tally.
“I know Coots’ line, they do a great job of that. They go out there, and they do little things. So I think, me and [Christian Dvorak] bring a little bit of that too, like making sure we’re [good with] little details, and it’s not always perfect with us, but I think more times you do it, you’re going to get better looks, and the team builds off that.
“And that’s kind of all I’m focused on, just trying to stick to what we’re doing as a team, and hopefully everyone just kind of follows along.”
But the power play giveth and taketh. The Stars, who have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, tied things up with under three minutes to go in the middle frame while the Flyers were on a power play.
In the neutral zone, Denver Barkey tried to go back to Jamie Drysdale, but it was just out of his reach. The defenseman dove for it to knock it away, but Arttu Hyry, playing in his 18th NHL game, picked it up and beat Ersson for his first career goal. It is the eighth short-handed goal the Flyers have allowed this season.
The goal did not impact the Flyers, who ended up outshooting the Stars 30-18, holding them to three shots in the third period and none in overtime.
“This is a fun group to coach. ... I just love their demeanor,” Tocchet said. “Even after we have a bad game or something bad happens, the next day they come ready to go. That’s what I love about them. There’s not a lot of pouting in there.”
Breakaways
Martone watched part of the second period alongside president Keith Jones and general manager Danny Brière. The hope is that he can make his debut on Tuesday. ... Matvei Michov got the primary assist on Konecny’s goal to extend his assist streak to three games. He now has seven assists in the past seven games and 40 points on the season. ... Ristolainen got the secondary for his first power-play point of the season. ... On Saturday in Detroit, Tyson Foerster participated in morning skate in a black jersey before swapping for an orange one to work on special teams. According to Brière on Sunday, “There’s no real update. He’s getting closer and closer. I don’t know if it’s going to be before the end of this year. Now, it’s kind of, I wouldn’t say, day-to-day, but he’s skating. Pretty soon, he’s going to be able to get into some contact, and then it’s figuring out if, first of all, he’s strong enough and if he has the stamina to play in some games.” ... Brière said he will be speaking with Shane Vansaghi’s camp this week. The Michigan State forward, and teammate of Martone’s, was a second-round pick of the Flyers in June’s draft. ... The Vegas Golden Knights hired former Flyers coach John Tortorella on Sunday after firing coach Bruce Cassidy.
Up next
The Flyers head to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. It could mark the debut of Martone and also the last game for Ovechkin against the Orange and Black.