Just as it looked like the season opener was heading to overtime and the Flyers would get at least 1 point, Chris Kelly wiped the tension out of the air with a goal coming with only 1:51 left in the game. This put the Atlantic Division favorite Boston Bruins up 2-1 and gave them the win. The Flyers fought hard, led by Steve Mason as per usual, but it wasn't enough to start the season 1-0-0.
The first period was relatively slow for both teams, the only goal coming from the stick of Boston's Reilly Smith on a power play. The Flyers penalty kill got caught snoozing and all 4 players ended up on the right side of the ice, Raffl and MacDonald were egregiously out of place. Carl Soderberg found Smith approaching all alone from the left side and dished the puck out to him to finish the scoring play. Rinaldo put the Flyers on the penalty kill that led to the goal by trying to instigate a fight with Torey Krug. If you had Rinaldo getting the first penalty of the season in the pool, well...so did everybody else.
The orange and black wasted 2 power play opportunities in the second period that passed with little action. The teams combined for only 13 shots. The only memorable part of the second period was Luke Schenn getting into the first fight of the year against Bobby Robins. Luke got some punches in and went for the take down, but ultimately ended up face-up on the ice. Nobody really won that fight.
Sean Couturier lit the lamp for the first Flyers goal this season after sneaking the puck past Tuukka Rask that he received off a wrap-around from Jakub Voracek.
Giroux had a chance on a breakaway a few minutes later, but Chara kept up with him enough to get his 10 foot long stick in the way and disrupt G's shot.
The Bruins goal that won them the game was very fluky. Mason made the original save, but the puck sprung a good eight feet straight into the air where he wasn't able to locate it. Once it hit the crease again Chris Kelly was there to tap it home. The Flyers pulled Mason after that, but failed to generate any offense and the game ended with the puck sailing out of the offensive zone, eliminating any chance for another shot.
Mason saved 31 of 33 shots for .939 save percentage. Boston outshot the Flyers 33 to 20 on the night.
As stated earlier, this was a fluky goal that won Boston the game. Given how good Boston is predicted to be compared to the rest of the Eastern Conference the Flyers shouldn't get too low after losing tonight. They won't have long to think about it anyway, as the home opener is tomorrow night at 7 against the New Jersey Devils.
-Ben Lebo
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
The orange and black wasted 2 power play opportunities in the second period that passed with little action. The teams combined for only 13 shots. The only memorable part of the second period was Luke Schenn getting into the first fight of the year against Bobby Robins. Luke got some punches in and went for the take down, but ultimately ended up face-up on the ice. Nobody really won that fight.
Sean Couturier lit the lamp for the first Flyers goal this season after sneaking the puck past Tuukka Rask that he received off a wrap-around from Jakub Voracek.
Giroux had a chance on a breakaway a few minutes later, but Chara kept up with him enough to get his 10 foot long stick in the way and disrupt G's shot.
The Bruins goal that won them the game was very fluky. Mason made the original save, but the puck sprung a good eight feet straight into the air where he wasn't able to locate it. Once it hit the crease again Chris Kelly was there to tap it home. The Flyers pulled Mason after that, but failed to generate any offense and the game ended with the puck sailing out of the offensive zone, eliminating any chance for another shot.
Mason saved 31 of 33 shots for .939 save percentage. Boston outshot the Flyers 33 to 20 on the night.
As stated earlier, this was a fluky goal that won Boston the game. Given how good Boston is predicted to be compared to the rest of the Eastern Conference the Flyers shouldn't get too low after losing tonight. They won't have long to think about it anyway, as the home opener is tomorrow night at 7 against the New Jersey Devils.
-Ben Lebo
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
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