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Trevor Zegras has been knocking on the goal scoring door through his first seven games of the season. On Saturday, his two-goal, three-point game helped the Philadelphia Flyers defeat the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The hybrid wing/center has had a strong start with his new club so far, with eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games so far this season. His three point effort matched his career single-game high.
In addition, Zegras scored a shootout goal to help the Flyers cause, while his line-mate Christian Dvorak added a goal and assist of his own.
Philadelphia had to rally back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in order to force overtime, keyed by a good performance by goale Samuel Ersson (23 saves on 26 shots on goal).
Coming off of a difficult 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators in Kanata, Ontario, the Flyers were facing a Metropolitian Division opponent in the Islanders who had won four games in a row.
Flyers Game Summary
First Period
The Islanders got on the board first when Islanders center Simon Holmstrom scored a shorthanded goal over Ersson’s blocker. Matvei Michkov tried to get a cross seam pass to Owen Tippett on the power-play. Jean-Gabriel Pageau broke it up and started a two on one break up ice before sending a centering pass to Holmstrom.
In response, Philadelphia got several in close chances following Holmstrom’s goal, including several near chances for wingers Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett. They also limited New York to only four shots in the first period, but ultimately couldn’t dent Ilya Sorokin on 10 shots. Nothing new, as the Russian goale has given the Flyers fits during his time on Long Island.
Second Period
Anthony Duclair staked the Islanders to a 2-0 lead at 6:15 when he was able to tap home a pass from defenseman Marshall Warren. The assist was part of a strong two point debut from Warren, a Long Island native. The play started when an attempted Noah Juulsen clear went off a linesman, leading to goal mouth scramble. Warren was able to fire a sharp pass to Duclair at the left post.
Despite the two goal deficit, Philadelphia kept pressing. At 9:51, Dvorak was able to beat the Russian goalie. Working an excellent entry with his line-mate Matvei Michkov, he cut hard to the net and finished off a pass from Zegras on a backhander.
Zegras has shown himself to be a master of the no-look pass and his assist on Dvorak’s goal was Exhibit A.
Third Period
Dvorak was able to return the favor to Zegras and get the 24 year old his first goal as a Flyer at 1:54 of the third period to tie the game at 2-2.
The line-mates conducted a crossing zone entry following a backhand pass from defenseman Jamie Drysdale in the neutral zone. The veteran center drove deep and got the puck back to a wide open Zegras at the left post, who lift the puck over Sorokin.
The tying goal seemed to spark the Islanders, who began to really ratchet up their physical play. New York reclaimed the lead when Maxim Tsyplakov was able to deflect home Warren’s point shot through a scrum in front past Ersson.
However, the Flyers were able to respond with a power-play goal off a goal mouth scramble when Zegras was able to knock a loose puck in the crease under Sorokin. Initially it looked as if Noah Cates had put the puck in, but it was not touched as it found it’s way into the net to tie the game at 3-3.
Overtime and Shootout
After some initial offensive forays by Owen Tippett, the Islanders nearly ended the game despite a missed call for too many man on the ice.
On the sequence, Islanders’ captain Bo Horvat jammed up with a Flyer near the blueline, leading to a Jonathan Drouin break-in on Ersson. But instead of shooting, he opted to throw it back to Horvat near the left post. Somehow Ersson got across to make a spectacular glove save.
With 2:46 remaining, Sean Couturier managed to get in front of Sorokin, but was unable to finish.
In the shootout, Zegras was able to score on Sorokin’s blocker side in the second round of the shootout, while Michkov scored with a quick wrister under in the third round. Holmstrom scored in the second round for New York.
Ersson was able to make the final stop with his left pad on Anthony Duclair to ensure the Flyers’ fourth win of the season (4-3-1 record, 2-1 overtime).
Three Takeaways
Ersson Overtime Heroics Preserve Win
With Daniel Vladar getting three consecutive starts prior to Saturday, it was incumbent on Sam Ersson to show he was still in the fight for playing time in net. While he gave up three goals to the Islanders, there weren’t any that could’ve been pinned on him as his fault. And if not for his late game performance the Flyers might not have been able to pull off their rallies.
He made some tremendous stops in the third period to keep things tied at 3-3, none more so than a diving blocker save on Jonathan Drouin just under eight minutes into the period. And of course, his game saving overtime glove stop on Horvat, and latter pad stops on Kyle Palmieri and Schaefer.
Seeler & Drysdale Continue Strong Early Season
Nick Seeler seemed to be everywhere in this game at times. In the offensive zone, he didn’t hesitate in driving shots on goal to keep up the pressure on Sorokin. He also engaged in his usual scrappy play, mixing things up with Islander players, and providing physical presense.
His partner Drysdale also played a confident assertive game showing strong offensive vision on Zegras’ first goal. He also was able to use his speed to get back to cover several Islander rushes, including a few chances in overtime.
It’s been a solid opening to the season for the pairing, especially in light of the team’s relatively thin blueline. And advanced numbers back that up. Per Moneypuck, the Seeler/Drysdale pairing is ranked as the second best in the league in XGoals Percentage (minimum 50 minutes) with 69.7 percent. Only former Flyer Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrei Nikiskin of the Carolina Hurricanes are higher at 81.7 percent.
Fourth Line Impresses With Speed & Physicality
The newly formed fourth line of Rodrigo Abols, Garnet Hathaway, and Nikita Grebenkin helped the Flyers match the Islanders’ physicality throughout the game. All three were involved in a skirmish (with Abols getting into his first NHL fight) in the third period.
They nearly won the game in the dying moments of regulation with Abols using his speed to get behind the Islanders Matthew Schaefer and Scott Mayfield. His quick wrap around pass to find a crashing Hathaway nearly caught the Islanders, if not for Sorokin’s late stop.
Hathaway helped give his team some juice in the second period with a spirited fight with Mayfield that left the latter bloodied. Grebenkin used his speed to keep deep on several cycles in the offensive zone.
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