With a tough challenge in Vegas, the Flyers fail to build momentum originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers were hurt by a few errors and untimely goals allowed Thursday night as they lost to the Golden Knights, 5-2, at T-Mobile Arena.
Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny scored the Flyers’ goals. Konecny came on the power play in the third period after Vegas took a 4-1 lead. Alexander Holtz scored on a shot that came off Aleksei Kolosov’s glove.
At that point, the Flyers were going to need a ridiculous comeback if they wanted to pull off a second straight win.
The Golden Knights iced the game into an empty net.
John Tortorella’s club has not won consecutive matches since December 10-12. Before heading to Vegas, the Flyers (17-18-4) had won two of the first three games of a five-game road series. But it was undoubtedly the most difficult test of the trip.
The Golden Knights (26-9-3) have the best points percentage in the NHL (.724). They improved to 16-4-0 at home, where they outscored their opponents 77-49.
The Flyers were 0-1-1 in their two-game regular season series against Vegas. They gave up a 3-0 lead in the first game to a 5-4 shootout loss at the Wells Fargo Center.
• With Samuel Ersson out due to lower body injuryKolosov was in net for the Flyers and stopped 22 of 26 shots.
Just 2:13 into the second period, the Flyers saw a 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 deficit.
On Mark Stone’s tying goal, Owen Tippett sent a back pass to Konecny, resulting in a turnover and Jack Eichel transitioning the puck the other way.
Not even a minute and a half later, Nicolas Hague scored on a wraparound goal after stripping Joel Farabee of the puck along the side boards.
Kolosov allowed a backbreaking goal with 1:38 left in the second period as the Flyers fell into a 3-1 hole at intermission. Pavel Dorofeyev blasted one from the circle five seconds after Noah Cates couldn’t win the faceoff.
The rookie Kolosov has faced tough challenges in his last three starts, twice facing the 22-10-5 Kings and then the Golden Knights. The soon-to-be 23-year-old allowed 15 goals on 72 shots in those outings.
Vegas goaltender Ilya Samsonov went 12-2-0 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in his career against the Flyers. The 12 wins were his most against any club. He stopped 23 of the Flyers’ 25 shots Thursday night to earn the 13th victory.
• After the Flyers put together a number of key performances at the back in a 4-0 victory Tuesday night against the Sharkssome of their defenders couldn’t hold up against the Golden Knights.
Egor Zamula, Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen were each at minus-2 and combined for just one shot.
• The trio of Foerster, Cates and Bobby Brink did it again, this time from the opening draw.
The trio started the scoring just 21 seconds into the game when Foerster finished from the slot. Over the last eight games, Foerster (five goals, three assists) and Cates (five goals, three assists) each have eight points, while Brink has six (all assists).
Cates continues to watch more and more like its 2022-23 version. He has scored at least one point in nine of the Flyers’ last 11 games. During this period, he has 10 points (six goals, four assists).
• Sean Couturier, center of the fourth line, played a team-low 10 minutes.
• The Flyers wrap up their trip Sunday when they visit the Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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