Postgame 5: Flyers Blanked by Bolts, 2-0

The Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0, at Amalie Arena on Monday evening. Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded a 21-save shutout, while Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

The Flyers have been shut out in back-to-back games. Ivan Fedotov made 21 saves on 22 shots. The team played a good road game overall but their struggles to finish came to the forefront again.

Early in the first period, Bobby Brink took a heavy hit from Emil Lilleberg, while Fedotov made a tough save on Brandon Hagel. On his first shift of the game, Nicolas Deslauriers returned the favor to Lilleberg.

Tyson Foerster had the Flyers best scoring chance in the game's first eight minutes but was denied by Vasilevskiy on a 2-on-1 rush. At the other end, Fedotov stopped Brayden Point.

The Flyers went to the game’s first power play on a Yanni Gourde hooking minor at 9:46. Vasilevskiy made outstanding saves on Brink and Travis Konecny amid a six-shot barrage by the Flyers.

Kucherov drew a holding penalty on Jamie Drysdale at 17:41, Flyers head coach John Tortorella argued the call vehemently, saying that Kucherov embellished on the play. Eleven seconds later, at 17:52, Jake Guetzel was called behind the play for unsportsmanlike conduct as he barked at the officials.

Kucherov made it 1-0 at 18:31. He stole the puck from Konecny, went off on a breakaway, and scored an unassisted goal (29th tally of the season).

First period shots on goal were 11-9 Tampa Bay. The Lighting won 15 of 28 faceoffs, but Noah Cates went 5-for-7.

The Flyers had a promising-looking rush by the Cates line go offside 17 seconds into the second period. Owen Tippett was stoned one-on-one by Vasilevskiy several minutes later.

Tampa went to the power play at 3:33 as the Flyers were called for too many men on the ice. Just before the penalty expired, at 5:32, Hagel was penalized for hooking.

On the ensuing power play, Michkov was robbed near the goal line on a 10-bell save by Vasilevskiy. Shortly thereafter, a would-be goal for Cates was waved off immediately as the whistle blew. Cates (slashing) and Anthony Cirelli (roughing) were called for coincidental minors when play resumed.

Through 10 minutes of the second period, the Flyers had a 4-0 shot lead but were unable to tie the game. At 11:38, Lilleberg was called for a double high-sticking minor as his stick came up on Olle Lycksell.

The Lightning killed off the four-minute penalty and had a couple of prime shorthanded scoring chances, especially for Zemgus Girgensons and Victor Hedman. The Flyers had some pressure at the other end but the better chances belong to Tampa.

Second period shots on goal were 5-4 Flyers (15-14 Tampa overall). Through 40 minutes, faceoffs were 21-20 in the Flyers' favor (Cates led at 6-for-9).

Early in the third period, Travis Sanheim came close to scoring on a wraparound attempt. Vasilevskiy made his 15th save of the game. The Flyers' fourth line generated an outstanding forechecking shift about seven minutes into the frame.

With 6:09 left in regulation, Poehling grabbed the puck in the neutral zone, catching Tampa in a line change. Vasilevskiy made his 20th save. On the next shift, the Flyers generated a 2-on-1 rush but Konecny fired wide of the net. At 17:58, Fedotov absorbed a shot from Gourde.

With two minutes left, the Flyers pulled Fedotov for an extra attacker. Thirteen seconds later, Couturier's stick came up on Erik Cernak for a costly double minor at 18:13.

The Flyers pulled Fedotov again for a 5-on-5 with an empty net behind them. Brink turned the puck over at the Tampa blueline. At 18:30,Guentzel (PPG, ENG, 33rd) shot the puck into the vacant cage for an insurance goal. The assists went to Kucherov and Point.

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

74 Owen Tippett - 14 Sean Couturier - 39 Matvei Michkov
71 Tyson Foerster - 27 Noah Cates - 11 Travis Konecny
15 Olle Lycksell - 25 Ryan Poehling - 10 Bobby Brink
44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 18 Rodrigo Abols - 22 Jakob Pelletier

8 Cam York - 6 Travis Sanheim
24 Nick Seeler - 9 Jamie Drysdale
36 Emil Andrae - 5 Egor Zamula

82 Ivan Fedotov

[32 Samuel Ersson]

Scratches: 55 Rasmus Ristolainen (injury), 19 Garnet Hathaway (upper body).

PP1: Drysdale, Konecny, Cates. Foerster, Michkov
PP2: Andrae, Tippett, Couturier, Lycksell, Brink

TURNING POINT

The Kucherov breakaway goal in the first period and the Flyers' inability to capitalize on a four-minute power play in the middle stanza were the defining points of Monday's match.

POSTGAME 5 ("RAV4 THINGS" REVISITED)

1. Shot suppression and shot quality: The Flyers held Tampa to a reasonable volume of shots and got some important saves along the way from Fedotov to stay in the game. At the other end, Philly had a handful of bonafide scoring chances. Vasilevskiy had all the answers.

2. Flyers power play:The Flyers went 0-for-5 on the man advantage against Tampa Bay. The failed four-minute power play loomed large. Philly is now 0-for-23 on the power play in the month of March.

3. Flyers penalty kill: Philly was 3-for-4 on the PK against Tampa Bay on Monday night. The empty net power play goal (5-on-5) sealed the deal.

4. Michkov watch: The rookie right winger had two shots on goal on six shot attempts (two blocked, two missed the net). He had one of Philadelphia's better scoring opportunities on the power play.

5. X-factor -- Containing Kucherov: The superstar winger now has 95 points on the season. He came into the game in a mini-slump (one point in his previous four games) but his highlight reel breakaway goal late in the first period felt almost inevitable once he took the puck away from Konecny.