Flyers look past Chicago, get burned in 5-1 loss

PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers committed the greatest sin of a team on the ropes, they looked past the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon, and lost, 5-1.

A shot by Ryan Poehling #25 of the Philadelphia Flyers just misses the goal in the third period against the Chicago Black Hawks

The Flyers fell to the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, just two points clear of the Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit has a game in hand on the Flyers.

“We didn’t execute, we didn’t make one play,” Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said. “Maybe that’s what needs to happen. I think we hit the bottom tonight here. Maybe that’s what needs to happen for us to get back into it.”

The New York Islanders are five points back with two games in hand.

“We should have a ton of energy, we’re fighting for a playoff spot right now,” the Flyers’ Travis Sanheim said. “Shouldn’t be lacking energy there. … I think we know it’s a long year, lot of games played. Tonight was a big one we needed to have and unfortunately [we] didn’t show up.”

Arvid Soderblom made 30 saves in the win.

Chicago moved to 22-47-5.

Lukas Reichel staked the Blackhawks to a 1-0 lead at 2:01 of the opening stanza, scoring from in close on the right side of the cage.

“He was responsible,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “I think he gained confidence scoring early. And it seemed like he had some mojo in that first period. I liked him having the puck on his stick skating. And he can skate a little more. Sometimes he took a little bit of speed off and tried to make a play.

“I think [the goal] gave him the confidence to do that. … And it wasn’t an easy goal. He had to take the puck to the net and he stayed with it on the second play.”

Philipp Kurashev extended the lead to 2-0 at 17:00, hitting off a shot from the right circle.

Philadelphia dropped to 36-29-10.

Tyson Foerster was the lone striker for the Flyers, his second period goal came with 17 seconds gone in the frame for a 2-1 lead to the Hawks.

“The most important part of the game tonight was when we crawl back into it at 2-1, [Konecny] hits the post right after the next shift, we have a power play and it’s awful,” Tortorella said. “And they score their power-play goal to go up 3-1.”

Nick Foligno answered that goal with a strike at 17:28, hitting off the power play for a 3-1 advantage to Chicago.

“Probably our most complete game in some aspects,” Foligno said. “I think we bent but didn’t break, and I think that’s a great sign for a club, where we didn’t let the momentum swings go too far against us.”

In the third period, Chicago’s Joey Anderson stretched the lead to 4-1 near the midway point of the of the period, scoring off a breakaway.

“I think that was a big one for us, just to get that one on the power play,” Foligno said. “We had done a great job on our kill and when you win special teams, it’s amazing what that can do to a team.”

Mackenzie Entwistle added salt to the would with a marker at 14:33, scoring off an odd man rush for the 5-1 final count on the scoreboard.

Samuel Ersson made 19 saves in the loss.

Philipp Kurashev #23 of the Chicago Black Hawks stuff the puck under the outstretched leg of Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson #33

Lukas Reichel #27 of the Chicago Black Hawks

Goalie Arvid Soderblom #40 and Jaycob Megna #24 of the Chicago Black Hawks and Garnet Hathaway #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers

Arvid Soderblom #40 of the Chicago Black Hawks

Philadelphia Flyers Bobby Brink #10 shot deflects off the skate of Goalie Arvid Soderblom #40 of the Chicago Black Hawks

Seth Jones #4, Taylor Raddysh #11 and Nick Foligno #17 of the Chicago Black Hawks

Nick Foligno #17 of the Chicago Black Hawks

Philipp Kurashev #23 of the Chicago Black Hawks shot gets past goalie Samuel Ersson #33 of the Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Donato #8 of the Chicago Black Hawks and Scott Laughton #21 of the Philadelphia Flyers drop the gloves in the first period.

Travis Sanheim #6 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles
Jason Dickerson #16 of the Chicago Black Hawks in front of goalie Samuel Ersson #33 of the Philadelphia Flyers

A shot by Tyson Foerster #71 of the Philadelphia Flyers gets past Arvid Soderblom #40 of the Chicago Black Hawks in the beginning minutes of the second period.