Third period collapse costs Flyers in loss to Ottawa

PHILADELPHIA – On Tuesday night the Flyers were skating in their first match after firing general manager Ron Hextall.

It didn’t go well.

Ottawa Senators Defenseman Dylan DeMelo (#2), Left Wing Oskar Lindblom (#23) of the Philadelphia Flyers and Goalie Mike McKenna (#33) of the Ottawa Senators

Leading 3-1 heading into the third period, the Flyers promptly collapsed and yielded three unanswered goals to lose, 403, to the Ottawa Senators.

Matt Duchene scored the game-winner off a rebound of his own shot that he batted in the bet from 20 feet out to the left of the cage; the goal came with with 2:59 left in regulation.

That goal capped the night for the Senators who were playing the second of back-to-back games.

“Felt like it was the only time I touched the puck all night,” he said. “Very lucky whack at it. Think I was mad about getting the shot blocked, maybe had a bit more anger.”

Brady Tkachuk struck twice in the third period to get the Senators even with the Flyers.

“He (Tkachuk) brings something a little different,” Duchene said. “We don’t have a power forward quite like him on this team. When we drafted him, I was excited to have a guy like that.[With the Colorado Avalanche], I played with Gabriel Landeskog and I told him before the game they’re very similar players in the stuff they do. … Brady crashes and bangs, he’s got good hands and good feet, and he can see the ice at the same time. Obviously, you can see why he was such a high pick for us (No. 4 in 2018 NHL Draft).”

The Sens started 35-year old Mike McKenna in net and after a shaky start made 34 saves for the win.

“The last couple games I think we’ve always found a way to get back in the game and we always came up short, but tonight, to actually get the job done, get the win, it’s huge for our team,” the Senators’ Thomas Chabot said after the rally.

Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek and Radko Gudas scored for the Flyers who came out fast but fizzled after.

“After two good periods, we didn’t push pucks deep and keep doing the same things that had gotten us to that point,” Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol said. “We checked well through the first two periods, we played a pretty simple game, pushing pucks north and getting pucks deep and making them work in their own zone. And we didn’t do that well enough in the third period.”

[WATCH: All Senators vs. Flyers highlights]

Anthony Stolarz made 20 saves for the Flyers as the netminder carousel continues in Philadelphia with injured goalie littering the locker room.

“It’s unacceptable. After two periods, I thought we had them. I thought we played pretty good hockey. We had a grip on the game, it’s just unacceptable. We’re making soft plays on our blue line, and it cost us the game,” Gudas said after the dismal third period effort from the Flyers.

Goalie Anthony Stolarz (#41) of the Philadelphia Flyers watches the puck rebound towards Center Matt Duchene (#95) of the Ottawa Senators

Goalie Mike McKenna (#33) of the Ottawa Senators, Left Wing Michael Raffl (#12) of the Philadelphia Flyers, Defenseman Thomas Chabot (#72) of the Ottawa Senators, Left Wing Oskar Lindblom (#23) of the Philadelphia Flyers

Goalie Anthony Stolarz (#41) and Defenseman Travis Sanheim (#6) of the Philadelphia Flyers, Right Wing Bobby Ryan (#9) of the Ottawa Senators

Right Wing Mark Stone (#61) of the Ottawa Senators collids with Left Wing Michael Raffl (#12) and Center Scott Laughton (#21) of the Philadelphia Flyers

Center Sean Couturier (#14) of the Philadelphia Flyers screening Goalie Mike McKenna (#33) of the Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators Defenseman Dylan DeMelo (#2) try to clear Left Wing Oskar Lindblom (#23) of the Philadelphia Flyers from in front of Goalie Mike McKenna (#33) of the Ottawa Senators

Center Sean Couturier (#14) of the Philadelphia Flyers checks Defenseman Ben Harpur (#67) of the Ottawa Senators off the puck in front of Ottawa Senators Goalie Mike McKenna (#33)