POSTGAME 5: Gone in a Flash

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
The Flyers chipped away at deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 to come within a goal with 3:45 remaining, but a late empty-netter quelled the momentum in a 5-3 setback in Tampa.
The Lightning scored twice in the first and then again 2:35 into the second to take the early advantage; Ivan Provorov then got the Flyers on the board on the power play 8:57 into the middle frame to make it 3-1.
The Flyers nearly cut the lead to one several times in the first 10 minutes of the third only to be foiled by Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Brayden Point's subsequent goal with 7:26 left restored the three-goal lead. The Flyers picked up another power-play tally from James van Riemsdyk with 4:29 to play and got another marker from Claude Giroux 44 seconds later, but the Flyers couldn't get any closer, and Nikita Kucherov bagged the empty-netter with 22 seconds left.
Carter Hart took the loss with 19 saves on 23 shots, while Vasilevskiy made 30 saves in the win.
Three Stars:1st: Andrei Vasilevskiy (30 of 33 saves)2nd: Steven Stamkos (2a)3rd: Brayden Point (game-winning goal)

TURNING POINT
Tonight's turning point was the fourth goal from Brayden Point. The play began from Stamkos along the boards to free up Point who was charging into the zone. Point faked a shot to back off Provorov, then flicked a wrist shot just over Carter Hart's stick side to make it a 4-1 deficit.
MELTZER'S TAKE
1) Tampa is juggernaut right now, and the Flyers came in needing to play close to airtight team defense, as they did in the 1-0 loss in Philadelphia the first time the teams played. Today, Tampa found more time and space, and the Flyers had some breakdowns they simply couldn't afford.
2) Hart was beaten high to the short side on the first and third Tampa goals. The Killorn goal appeared to off his shoulder.
3) Not much was going Ivan Provorov's way over the first period-plus of the game. Normally not very outwardly demonstrative, he was fired up as he scored the power play goal that got the Flyers on the board at 3-1.

4) The Flyers made a valiant comeback bid -- and they've pulled off a couple successfully against Tampa in recent years -- but ran out of time on this one before the final empty netter.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* James van Riemsdyk extended his point streak to five in-a-row with his third-period goal - he now has eight points (4g-4a) in the five games.
* The Flyers defense continues to chip in - they had four points in tonight's game (1g-3a).
* Provorov's goal gives the Flyers a goal from a defenseman for the fourth straight game and the Flyers blueline now leads the NHL in goals from defensemen (40).
* Claude Giroux's assist on Provorov's power-play goal now ties him with Bobby Clarke for the the most power-play assists in franchise history (234).

* The Flyers enjoy a rare two-day break in action and return home to play the first of a crucial home-and-home series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Puck drop is 7 p.m. on Tuesday on NBCSP & 97.5 The Fanatic with the meeting in Columbus following on Thursday.
THEY SAID IT