Mathew Barzal
One more game remains with the Islanders on a three-game stretch, as things return home for the start of a four-game homestand. Time is of the essence for the Flyers and if a turnaround is going to happen, it needs to happen immediately.
The Flyers did get the outcome they needed in the last game, as a late goal propelled them to victory. That was a step in the right direction, but it has to continue. They will face the Islanders again on Saturday night, closing out a four-game road trip.
The Flyers face a must-win situation, as their season just gets uglier by the game. Their challenge on Thursday, one night after being handed their worst road loss in franchise history, is another game on the road against the New York Islanders, a team tied at the top of the division.
Kevin Hayes scored on the power play with 38 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Flyers a 4-3 win over the Islanders, their fourth straight win, on Sunday night at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers are in search of their fourth straight win and seventh of the season. The Islanders are still trying to get on the right track record-wise, but played a solid 40 minutes on Saturday that deserved a better fate. They will be looking to bounce back in this game.
It is now 147 days since the Islanders eliminated the Flyers from the playoffs, and the two teams get back on the ice to face each other on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center. Game time is at 7 p.m.
It all comes down to this. Game 7 to decide who goes to the Eastern Conference Final and who goes home. If it’s anything like the other games in this series, you can expect a close, hard-fought battle to the finish where only one thing is certain: this game will end with handshakes at center ice.
In a wild, back-and-forth tilt, both teams showed the qualities and identity that they have established. This series has been as hard-fought as they come. Neither team quits. Ever. And it showed in Game 6 as both sides assumed control at different points and as the game drug on into the night.
The Flyers have a chance to force this series to the brink with a win in Game 6, and it could require them to do so without one of their top players in the process.
Just like in Game 2, when the Flyers let another 3-1 lead in the third period get away, they had the answer in overtime. It took over 12 minutes, but the Flyers remain alive in the series with a deflection goal by Scott Laughton. 5 takeaways from Game 5.
