PHILADELPHIA — In a thrilling showdown on Thursday evening, Bobby Brink redirected a pass from Joel Farabee into St. Louis Blues’ netminder Jordan Binnington’s goal with just 3:01 remaining, sealing a 2-1 win for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Garnet Hathaway was also on the scoreboard, and goaltender Sam Ersson made a commendable 20 saves, enabling the Flyers to achieve back-to-back victories for the first time this season. This defeat marked the Blues’ third consecutive loss and their fourth in the last five outings.
Hathaway kicked off the scoring during the first period, where he was set up by Ryan Poehling. Poehling skillfully maneuvered through St. Louis’ defense before executing a precise backhand pass to Hathaway, who capitalized on the opportunity.
Following up his impressive shutout against Boston on Tuesday night, Ersson delivered another solid performance. The only drawback for him came midway through the final period when Nathan Walker managed to beat him with a shot that deflected off Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim’s skate off a strike from Philip Broberg.
Takeaways from the game indicated that the Blues tried to impose a more physical style, winning the hit count with a 24-10 advantage. However, this did not translate into effective offensive plays.
Meanwhile, the Flyers have faced challenges in generating offense throughout the season. Earlier in the week, they adjusted their strategy to adopt a more defensive approach, focusing on protecting the middle of the ice, forcing opponents to the perimeter, and blocking shots. They executed this game plan exceptionally well, blocking 24 shots—showing a stark contrast to the 28 blocked against Boston just two days prior.
A pivotal moment occurred when Ersson made a crucial save against Brayden Schenn with only 20 seconds left in the match, preserving the Flyers’ lead.
Statistically, both teams struggled with puck possession in what was labeled a sloppy game; the Flyers recorded 10 giveaways, while the Blues added four takeaways to the mix.
Looking ahead, the Blues will square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, kicking off a five-game homestand. Meanwhile, the Flyers will host the Boston Bruins the same day.