PHILADELPHIA — Owen Tippett found the back of the net at 3:30 into overtime, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday night. This win not only snapped a three-game losing streak for the Flyers but also showcased a remarkable comeback, as they rallied from behind yet again after two periods.
Morgan Frost had a standout performance, scoring two goals, while Tyson Foerster managed to tie the game with under two minutes left in the third period. Samuel Ersson contributed significantly to the win, making 21 saves throughout the match. On the opposing side, the Blue Jackets saw goals from Mathieu Olivier, Mikael Pyyhtia, Kirill Marchenko, and Jake Christiansen, but still faced their sixth loss in seven outings.
Tippett’s contribution was noteworthy, as he assisted on three out of the Flyers’ four goals in the third period, including Foerster’s critical equalizer. During overtime, he capitalized on a 2-on-1 break alongside Noah Cates, skillfully converting the chance with a backhand shot past Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who had 25 saves in the game.
Several important aspects emerged from the match. The Blue Jackets effectively blocked 24 shots, a strategy that significantly hindered the Flyers’ offensive efforts in the first two periods. On the other hand, Philadelphia’s captain Sean Couturier was not in the lineup due to personal reasons, prompting the management to insert Olle Lycksell, who was brought in earlier in the day to fill the gap left by defenseman Emil Andrae, assigned back to Lehigh Valley of the AHL.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Foerster deflected a shot by Travis Konecny at 18:16 of the third period, marking the Flyers’ third goal to level the score in that period.
Frost has also demonstrated impressive prowess against Columbus, netting seven goals in his last seven games against them.
In the upcoming schedule, the Blue Jackets are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, while the Flyers will embark on a six-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on the same day.
