Flyers Overpowered by Senators in 1st Loss of Season

The Flyers win in the season opener was a case of what can happen when the team gets the best of everyone. On Saturday afternoon, they got the opposite.

After a shaky start, the Flyers remained in the game for a majority of the first two periods. But a two-goal swing over the final minute of the second and first minutes of the third changed all that in a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

It took just 2:36 for the Senators to strike. Off a Flyers turnover, Jakob Chychrun was left alone in the high slot and scored to make it 1-0.

On a power play midway though the period, Chychrun struck again with a one-timer to make it 2-0.

The Flyers answered back with just over three minutes left in the period. On a 5-on-3, Tyson Foerster had a shot stopped but the rebound came right to Travis Konecny, who buried it for his third goal of the season to make it 2-1.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 13-5 Ottawa.

The Senators heavily outplayed the Flyers in the second period to the tune of a 12-4 advantage in shots. For most of the period, Carter Hart was the story, keeping the margin at one.

A power play with just over four minutes remaining in the period changed that. Jake Sanderson scored on the man-advantage with a one-timer from the point to make it 3-1 at 16:12.

Just 18 seconds later, Cam York scored off a rush to cut the lead back to one.

Just when it seemed like the Flyers would take the one-goal deficit into the final period, a turnover by Travis Sanheim resulted in a late, back-breaking goal for the Senators. Sanheim was outmuscled on the wall by Claude Giroux, allowing the Senators to regain possession and set up Brady Tkachuk for the goal with 5.1 seconds remaining in the period.

Through two periods, shots were 25-9 Ottawa.

Just 10 seconds into the third, the Flyers were back on the penalty kill and it didn't take long for the Senators to quickly turn it into a three-goal deficit. Tkachuk scored his second of the game on a third-chance rebound, making it 5-2 at 1:32.

Hart finished with 26 saves on 31 shots in the loss. Anton Forsberg made 19 saves on 21 shots in the win.

Chychrun had a three-point game for Ottawa. Tkachuk, Giroux, Sanderson, and Vladimir Tarasenko each had two points. Konecny had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

The Flyers are next on the ice on Tuesday night for the home opener. The time for the home opener was moved up one hour to accommodate additional events at the Sports Complex and will now be at 6 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• OTT Jakob Chychrun (1) (Zack MacEwen, Ridly Greig) 2:36
• OTT Chychrun (2) PP (Vladimir Tarasenko, Jake Sanderson) 10:47
• PHI Travis Konecny (3) PP (Tyson Foerster, Travis Sanheim) 16:51

2nd Period

• OTT Sanderson (1) PP (Tarasenko, Chychrun) 16:12
• PHI Cam York (1) (Konecny, Sean Walker) 16:30
• OTT Brady Tkachuk (1) (Claude Giroux) 19:54

3rd Period

• OTT Tkachuk (2) PP (Giroux, Tim Stutzle) 1:32

Game Statistics

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.