OTTAWA – Alex DeBrincat scored the game-winning goal 1:36 into overtime to halt Philadelphia’s comeback effort and the Ottawa Senators took a 5-4 victory over the Flyers Thursday night.
The Senators kept their playoff hopes alive with the win, clinging to the hope of securing the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
But further challenges await as defenceman Travis Hamonic and forward Derick Brassard both suffered injuries in the win. Ottawa was already without defencemen Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun.
Tim Stutzle, with a goal and an assist, Austin Watson, Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux also scored for the Senators (37-33-5). Cam Talbot had a quiet night stopping 7-of-11 shots.
Tony DeAngelo, Cam York and Noah Cates, Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers (29-32-13). Felix Sandstrom made 41 saves.
Giroux made it 4-1 2:28 into the third period for his 29th of the season. But the Flyers scored three unanswered goals to send it to overtime.
York scored an unassisted marker at 5:22 for his second of the season. Cates then cut the deficit to one at 9:54 with a power-play marker.
Tippett netted his 23rd of the campaign with 2:39 remaining to tie the contest at 4-4.
After 40 minutes the Senators led 3-1 but there was little to celebrate.
DeAngelo’s power-play goal 2:51 into the second came on Philadelphia’s third shot of the game. The Flyers only put two more on net through the end of the period.
Stutzle restored Ottawa’s two-goal lead scoring on a Nick Holden rebound at 7:43.
DeBrincat then stunned the crowd by dropping the gloves against Joel Farabee and more than held his own. Less than a minute later, Watson and Nicolas Deslauriers fought and on the same stoppage, Mark Kastelic exchanged punches with Deslauriers on his way to the penalty box.
Pinto made it 3-1 at 16:50 when he tipped a Mathieu Joseph shot in. Moments earlier, Brassard suffered an ankle injury that required him to be helped off the ice.
The Senators outshot the Flyers 17-2 in the opening period and led 1-0 thanks to Watson’s unassisted goal. On the very same play, however, Hamonic suffered a lower-body injury and was done for the night.
INTERESTING FACT
Flyers head coach John Tortorella decided to watch the game from the press box with interim general manager Danny Briere to get a perspective from up top and give associate coach Brad Shaw the chance to run the bench.
NOTES
Cam Talbot returned to action after missing 12 games with a mid-body injury. Defenceman Tyler Kleven made his NHL debut. … Sandstrom made consecutive starts for the first time this season for the Flyers. Goalie Carter Hart did not travel to Ottawa and missed his second straight game and remains day-to-day.
UP NEXT
The Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night.
The Flyers host the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2023.
