Phillippe Myers scored 2:40 into overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders 4-3 on Wednesday, tying the second-round playoff series at a game apiece.
The Islanders overall a 3-0 first-period deficit, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau getting the tying goal with 2:09 left in regulation.
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Phillippe Myers scored 2:40 into overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders 4-3 on Wednesday, tying the second-round playoff series at a game apiece.
Kevin Hayes scored twice in the first period for Philadelphia, Sean Couturier also had a goal, and Carter Hart made 31 saves.
Game 3 is Thursday night.
Couturier followed later in the period with a slick one, picking up the puck in the neutral zone, slipping around defenseman Nick Leddy and deking Varlamov. That’s when Greiss was sent in to make his playoff debut in relief of Varlamov.
NOTES: Hayes recorded the first multi-goal playoff game of his career. ... Hart improved to 7-3 in the playoffs, including 3-0 after losses. ... The Flyers are 8-0 in the playoffs when scoring first. ... Since Jan. 7, Philadelphia is 11-0-0 after a loss.
New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) levels Philadelphia Flyers center Derek Grant (38) during first-period NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game action in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) passes the puck as he falls to the ice as Philadelphia Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek (93) during the first period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Myers ended it quickly, connecting on a shot from the right point that glanced off the stick of the Islanders' Anders Lee on the way in.
Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Philippe Myers (5) celebrates his game-winning goal in overtime with teammate defenceman Travis Sanheim (6) during overtime in an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Kevin Hayes scored twice in the first period for Philadelphia, Sean Couturier also had a goal, and Carter Hart made 31 saves.
Lee and Anthony Beauvillier also scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov had seven saves before he was benched late in the first period. Thomas Greiss finished with 20 stops the rest of the way.
The Flyers scored three times in the first 15:09, chasing Varlamov. He had shut them out in Game 1 and built an Islanders’ playoff record shutout streak of 138:17 before Philadelphia broke through in the first period.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart (79) makes a stop on New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) during the first period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Game 3 is Thursday night.
The Flyers, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, sorely needed more production from their top goal-scorers and finally got it.
Hayes scored off a rush with a wrister from the left circle that rattled in off the post 1:57 into the game. Hayes got his second when he beat Varlamov with a sharp-angle shot from the left at 9:43.
Philadelphia Flyers center Travis Konecny (11) has a shot blocked as New York Islanders defenceman Devon Toews (25) and right-wing Jordan Eberle (7) defend during the second period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Couturier followed later in the period with a slick one, picking up the puck in the neutral zone, slipping around defenseman Nick Leddy and deking Varlamov. That’s when Greiss was sent in to make his playoff debut in relief of Varlamov.
The momentum started to even out in the second period. With the Islanders on a power play, Lee tipped in a beautiful cross-ice feed from Mathew Barzal to get New York on the board.
Beauvillier made it a one-goal game on a rush 11:11 into the third period. Pageau lifted a wrist shot over Hart's glove to tie the game with 2:09 left, despite a Flyers' claim that New York was offside entering the zone.
Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes (13) celebrates his goal with left wing Joel Farabee (49) during the first period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)
NOTES: Hayes recorded the first multi-goal playoff game of his career. ... Hart improved to 7-3 in the playoffs, including 3-0 after losses. ... The Flyers are 8-0 in the playoffs when scoring first. ... Since Jan. 7, Philadelphia is 11-0-0 after a loss.
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CORRECTS TO THIRD-PERIOD NOT SECOND-PERIOD- New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates his goal with teammate Leo Komarov (47) during third-period NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game action against the Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) levels Philadelphia Flyers center Derek Grant (38) during first-period NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game action in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) passes the puck as he falls to the ice as Philadelphia Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek (93) during the first period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game against the New York Islanders in Toronto, Ontario, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020. (Cole BurstonThe Canadian Press via AP)