Flyers fall in OT to Penguins, missing a near-February sweep of interstate rival

Jackie Spiegel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Feb 27, 2025

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PITTSBURGH — It’s never easy beating a team three times. It’s definitely not easy doing it in three of four games.

The Flyers had their chances to skate away with a third win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in February but ended up falling 5-4 in overtime on Thursday inside the PPG Paints Arena.

Evgeni Malkin scored short side to end the Flyers' three-game winning streak. They did, however, extend their point streak to four games.

Things started out well. After scoring two goals against the Penguins on Tuesday night, Noah Cates completed the hat trick on Thursday. Able to skate out three-on-two after Egor Zamula went down on one knee to make a nice block deep in the Flyers zone, Cates snapped a shot from the high slot. The goal ties Cates’ career high of 13 set in 2022-23.

The Flyers had a few more chances in the first period. Matvei Michkov fed Sean Couturier on a two-on-one and then Travis Konecny had a chance with Scott Laughton getting a rebound on net.

During all of this, the Penguins didn’t muster much.

Pittsburgh’s first shot was recorded 12 minutes, 30 seconds into the period — to the sound of jeers. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was wiped off the board and listed as a missed shot by Philip Tomasino. The official first shot came with 5:20 left when Sam Ersson used his paddle to turn aside a Kris Letang shot.

Then Ersson had some action. He made a save on a long slap shot by Sidney Crosby that handcuffed him a bit, giving former Flyers forward Kevin Hayes a big juicy rebound at the right post. But Ersson, one of the NHL’s top goalies since the holiday break, popped out the pad just in time. He also robbed Crosby alone in front, and on his deadly backhand, with 68 seconds left in the period.

Entering the game, the Flyers have been outscored 74-57 in second periods this season. After scoring three on Tuesday, they popped in another three on Thursday. But it was a scratch, because so did the Penguins.

Owen Tippett extended his goal streak to three games with his 18th of the season. He fired in a shot after Nick Seeler’s point shot caromed off the end boards and the half wall to him above the right face-off circle. The Flyers thought they took a 3-0 lead on a goal by Andrei Kuzmenko, but it was called off due to a high stick.

Just over a minute later, Kuzmenko’s countryman Michkov made it 3-0 when he tucked the puck around the left post after Alex Nedeljkovic went out too far. That goal chased Nedeljkovic — with some flare as he broke his stick and slammed the bench door — and seemed to spark the Penguins.

Tomasino, who scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal on Tuesday, was all alone in front and beat Ersson on the backhand. Thirty seconds later, it was Ersson’s 4 Nations Face-Off teammate for Sweden, Erik Karlsson, scoring on a point shot off a faceoff.

The Flyers would take a 4-2 lead on a power-play goal by Michkov, through a screen by Scott Laughton. His second of the night moved him past Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks into first place among rookies with 19 goals.

But it came with a cost. Garnet Hathaway laid a big yet clean hit on Noel Acciari, and was then hit by Penguins forward Bokondji Imama. Hathaway appeared to get knocked out after he hit his head on the ice from the dirty, blindsided hit that was away from the puck.

Coach John Tortorella was irate as the play was reduced from intent to injure to a minor for interference. Hathaway was assisted off the ice and did not return. The Flyers reported he was being evaluated.

The Penguins then scored a pair to tie things up at 4-4. Karlsson notched another late in the second period, and Malkin scored his first of the night early in the third.

Breakaways

Tortorella coached his 1,607 NHL game, tying him with Al Arbour for sixth all-time in NHL games coached.

Up next

The Flyers head north to Manitoba to face the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night (7 p.m., NBCSP). Entering Thursday, the Jets are atop the NHL standings and have won 11 straight.

_____