Flyers' Season on Brink After Game 3 Loss to Carolina

A return home could not solve the biggest issue for the Philadelphia Flyers this season, both regular season and playoffs. Special teams has been an issue all season long, and it showed in Game 3.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored two power-play goals and a shorthanded goal on the way to a 4-1 result to take a 3-0 series lead on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

How It Happened

The Flyers had chances early in the first, with two shots catching iron. They were unable to generate much on a power-play opportunity midway through the period.

The Hurricanes were able to do something with their power play. Jordan Staal took a puck off the endboards and slipped it under Dan Vladar to make it 1-0 Carolina at 17:27.

The Flyers tied the game up at 2:31 of the second. Trevor Zegras got a loose puck and fired it high to make it a 1-1 game with his second goal of the playoffs.

Late in the period, Taylor Hall was assessed a major penalty for boarding that was reduced to a minor after review. On the ensuing power play, the Flyers allowed a shorthanded two-on-one that ended with a goal by Jalen Chatfield to give Carolina the lead back.

Less than a minute after the shorthanded goal, the Flyers got 1:15 of 5-on-3 time and could not capitalize.

Carolina added to the lead at 3:50 of the third. Andrei Svechnikov scored on a one-timer on the power play to make it a 3-1 game. Nikolaj Ehlers put things out of reach with a goal on a breakaway at 7:08.

Box Score

1st Period

CAR Jordan Staal (1) PP (Andrei Svechnikov, Shayne Gostisbehere) 17:27

2nd Period

PHI Trevor Zegras (2) (Emil Andrae, Porter Martone) 2:31
CAR Jalen Chatfield (1) SH (Staal, Jordan Martinook) 15:59

3rd Period

CAR Svechnikov (1) PP (Sebastian Aho, Gostisbehere) 3:50
CAR Nikolaj Ehlers (2) (Martinook, K'Andre Miller) 7:08

By the Numbers

Shots: Flyers: 19, Hurricanes: 30
Power Play: Flyers: 0-for-5, Hurricanes: 2-for-9
Faceoffs: Flyers: 51.0%, Hurricanes: 49.0%
Goalies: PHI Dan Vladar: 26 saves on 30 shots, CAR Frederik Andersen: 18 saves on 19 shots

Key Performers

⭐ Jordan Staal — Staal opened the scoring on the power play and made the play for the primary assist on the shorthanded goal that proved to be the game-winner.

⭐⭐ Jalen Chatfield — His shorthanded goal was a clear momentum-shifter. The Flyers were on thin ice from there and never recovered.

⭐⭐⭐ Andrei Svechnikov — Two points, including a power-play goal that felt like a dagger at 3-1. It's been a struggle for the top players on Carolina to produce, but they did their part with the man-advantage.

The Takeaway

A game that was close and competitive ultimately turned ugly. The Flyers can thank their continuous special teams' struggles for that. Carolina's first three goals were all the result of poor special teams play. The penalty kill allowing weak-side passes to get through. The power play being an incompetent mess that also surrendered a shorthanded goal. It was always going to be the thing that did the Flyers in, and it's turning out to be ugly.