PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets with a score of 7-4, beating the Blue Jackets for the first time since Feb. 22, 2018, snapping the five-game losing streak against them.
James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Philadelphia Flyers scores against Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Columbus Blue Jackets
With a two-goal lead in the second half of the third-period, the Blue Jackets had a good chance to leave Philly with two points this Saturday. But, the Flyers were relentless and went on to score 5 goals in the last 10 minutes of the third period.
“We kept playing, kept battling and after two periods we said that we were going to find a way to win this game and that’s exactly what we did.” Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said.
Kevin Hayes netted the game-winning goal on a shorthanded breakaway with under 10 minutes left in the third period. “ Part of the game plan was to wear them down by getting pucks deep.” Hayes said after the game.
The first period was evenly contested with the score knotted up at one-to-one heading into the first intermission. The Flyers got on the scoreboard first with a goal from Jake Voracek assisted by James Van Riemsdyk. The Blue Jackets responded two minutes later with a goal from Boone Jenner assisted by Sonny Milano.
The Blue Jackets came out of the first intermission on a mission and found the back of the net two and a half minutes in with a goal from 21-year-old Pierre-Luck Dubois who earned his fifth goal of the season. The Flyers pestered the Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo with 18 shots in the second period, and eventually the first line delivered once again. This time it was James Van Riemsdyk who tipped in a Jakub Voracek slapshot from the point, tying the game at 2 with two minutes left to play in the second. But, Columbus responded quickly once again and Boone Jenner scored his second goal of the night assisted by Josh Anderson and Sonny Milano, giving the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead going into the third period.
Oskar Lindblom #23 of the Philadelphia Flyers tumbles across the goalmouth of Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets started off the third period the same way they did the second, with a goal. This time it was Josh Anderson earning his first goal of the year assisted by Dean Kukan and Vladislav Gavrikov giving the Blue Jackets a 2 goal lead in the third.
The Flyers were down 4-2 with 10 minutes remaining in the third, but they were not ready to give up just yet, with some great puck movement in the zone Claude Giroux was able to find Shayne Gostisbehere for a one-timer that deflected off of a Columbus Defensman’s skate and went bar down into the net. Shortly after, JVR found the back of the net once chipping in a cross crease bullet from Ivan Proverov tying the game up with 8 minutes remaining in the third. “It fealt nice to get one last game and i’m glad it carried over to tonight’s game, It was a huge divisional game and we want to continue to keep climbing the rest of this week.”
Kevin Hayes then gave the Flyers the lead with an electric shorthanded breakaway goal, which initially hit the pad of Korpisalo but Hayes tucked in the rebound for his fourth of the season.
Brian Elliott #37 of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a save.
Rafl then sealed the deal with an empty net goal assisted by Hayes to put the flyers up 6-4. Koencky put the cherry on top sniping the top corner for a power play goal assisted by Matt Niskanen giving the flyers the 7-4 win.
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