The Dallas Stars got a point, but fell short in a 2-1 overtime loss against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday.
Bunting – Johnston – Rantanen
Robertson – Duchene – Bourque
Benn – Hryckowian – Blackwell
Bäck – Hyry – Erne
Lindell – Heiskanen
Harley – Lundkvist
Bichsel – Myers
DeSmith
Oettinger
Scratches:Petrovic, Capobianco, Lyubushkin, Steel (injured), Bastian (injured), Hintz (injured).
More injury news.
Luckily, I only have one new injury to report here, at least one that is still ongoing.
In the game tonight, both Tyler Myers and Michael Bunting left the game with lower-body injuries. Bunting left in the first and did not return. Myers left in the second but did come back and play the rest of the game.
Bunting is the latest of multiple depth injuries. Sam Steel injured his hip flexor or groin against the Islanders and flew back to Dallas for further evaluation. He will miss at least one week, according to Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. Nathan Bastian blocked a shot in the hand against the Penguins and missed the game today. He will be further evaluated, not sure if he will play Tuesday in Boston. Add to that whatever Adam Erne is dealing with, and of course, still missing Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa, and it feels pretty bleak.
Hintz and Faksa both began skating on their own this weekend in Frisco, which is good. Hintz has a real shot of returning before the playoffs, where it feels like Faksa is best-case sometime in round one.
Are we going to see 11/7 or even Kyle Capobianco at forward against Boston? Or do the Stars call up a forward from Texas? They have the cap space.
Live from the Wells Fargo Arena or whatever name this goes by now.
Myers got beat to the middle of the ice again, something he has done far too much. Myers trusts his reach and can get caught flipping his hips to the outside too early, opening up lanes to the middle.
Wyatt Johnston nearly got his head cut off by a skate. Not funny because it was scary, but he is fine and went to the box for his tripping minor, so we can exhale and giggle. As Robert says here, visors are good.
Mikko Rantanen is pretty good at hockey.
Johnston to Matt Duchene on the power play has been so close so many times recently. The passes have just been out of the wheelhouse, and Duchene has been unable to get them on net or get much on them, this time heeling the shot in tight. The look is there, though.
Wow, Samuel Ersson made a windmill save on Bunting. Maybe the best chance for Bunting since he joined the team. He does have one goal with Dallas.
Just as the period was coming to an end, Bunting threw a hit on the far wall. Travis Sanheim then threw a hit on Bunting, who flexed his left leg and skated off. Jamie Benn took his spot on the top line's next shift, as Bunting was not on the bench to finish the period. Yeesh.
Bunting is now questionable to return.
Stars 0, Flyers 0
Myers now goes to the bench in pain. After a bit of time, Myers limped down the bench and into the tunnel. Yikes.
Esa Lindell took a late hit, and Rantanen and Benn came in quick to back him up. Benn went full zombie man at the end. Love that. However, Rantanen got a penalty just before that scrum.
Travis Konecny wrapped around from the goal line, Casey DeSmith tightened up probably thinking he was going to sweep it five hole, and Konecny instead wraps it around the left leg and inside the far post to open the scoring.
Trevor Zegras had nearly the entire net to shoot at, yet he drilled the left post square. Dallas dodged a bullet, should be 2-0.
Myers has returned, Bunting has still not. That's half good news. Here is the update postgame:
Robert Tiffin and I have often been blown away by the shot release of Arttu Hyry. It is one of the best on the team and shows up in practice often. It showed up in game action today in Philly, as Hyry quickly went backhand to forehand, leaned on his stick down the off wing, and ripped a perfect wrist shot far side on Ersson. Decent time to get your first NHL goal.
Also, does that Stars fan in the crowd not look just like Colin Blackwell? You're a wizard, Colin.
Remember Mrs. Met? Just a random thought.
Considering how the game felt to be going, playing 20 minutes for two points seems like a solid place to be.
Stars 1, Flyers 1
I think both teams have agreed to go to overtime. This is boring hockey. Like, really boring hockey.
It feels like Thomas Harley has sort of disappeared lately. I am not noticing him making mistakes, which is good. But I also don't notice him making many plays either, and that's something he needs to do.
Another Shish Kabobing! This time, it's Erne who gets tripped up, and the Stars have a chance to win the game on the power play.
OOOOOOOO, Johnston with the golden chance for the lead, and on the power play just like he likes. What a pad save by Ersson quickly moving left to right on a cross-crease pass.
Rantanen looks gassed. The Stars look gassed. Both teams look gassed.
Stars 1, Flyers 1
Just like the game in regulation, overtime has been pretty boring. I am a big fan of a rule change that doesn't allow the puck to be carried back over center ice after entering the zone. Enough of these massive drop passes back to the goalie. Unless it's Russ Tyler dressed up as Goldberg. THE GOALIE!
Zegras somehow finds a way to get a shot off with two defenders around him and sneaks it five-hole on DeSmith from a sharp angle to win the game for Philly.
Final: Flyers 2, Stars 1 (OT)
