PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers once again had all the chances to move up in a big way and instead had to settle for a loser’s point in a bad, 4-3, overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Jake Gardiner scored for the Leafs with just over three minutes left in the extra session.
At the same time, the Boston Bruins were thrashing the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2, and Boston now holds down the second wild card spot in the east.
“If you told us two months ago we’d be in this position, we’d take it,” Flyers captain Claude Giroux said.
But that is small consolation for the Flyers who have held the playoff position themselves.
Toronto got goals from William Nylander, Colin Greening and Michael Grabner.
“We were able to obviously get some good goaltending and a timely goal at the end on the power play to win the game,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “We have a lot of kids in our lineup, but guys battled and found a way to get it done.”
Jonathan Bernier made 41 saves for the win.
“It’s really frustrating not to get two points,” Giroux said. “But at the end of the day, we have to put this one behind us and get ready for Pittsburgh [on Saturday].”
Brayden Schenn, Andrew MacDonald and Wayne Simmonds scored for the Flyers.
“I thought we were hesitant at the beginning instead of initiating the play and being all over them,” The Flyers’ Mark Streit said. “We waited, and it kind of burned us the first 20 minutes.”
The Leafs got off to a quick start with a 2-0 lead built by the end of the first period. From there, the Flyers were a step off until the third period when they tied it up.
“We were all over them [in the third period], created a ton of chances,” Streit said. “We tied it up; that’s a positive. That’s how we need to start the next game against Pittsburgh on Saturday.”
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