Flyers hope memorable rally sparks playoff push

PHILADELPHIA >> Finally, a “Gritty” performance from the Flyers in an outdoor game.

After losses in their first three appearances on the big stage, the Flyers provided a finale that even their mascot could be proud of to finally break through; Claude Giroux, the only player who has played in all four outdoor games in a Philly uniform, scored the game-winning goal at 1:59 of overtime to cap off a dramatic three-goal, third-period comeback Stadium Series win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Flyers became the fifth team over the course of the National Hockey League’s 27 total outdoor games to stage a multigoal comeback to win, but the first to do so exclusively in the third period.

“It didn’t look too good, but we found ways to get back in the game and make it 3-3,” Giroux told reporters after the game.

“The whole game, it was kind of a weird game, I think I spent more time trying to clean my visor than actually playing. Other than that, the experience was great...I would never do a celebration like that, it was just kind of a relief to finally win an outdoor game. It was a battle to get it, but sometimes those games (that) are the hardest to win are the nicest to win.”

It was also a game that many people weren’t sure would actually get played at all on Saturday night. The NHL surprised some with a noon press release that the game would be played and started on time, but the forecasted deluge never seemed to come.

A sellout crowd of 69,620 packed Lincoln Financial Field, and most of them stuck it out through 40 degree temperatures and a light mist that eventually turned into a steady rain by the time the third period started.

“I don’t think the ice changed too much, almost like curling ice, bubbled, you saw guys try to shoot pucks and not get all of it, shank it a few times, fan on it, so when the ice is like that the puck has a tendency to jump away from you whatever you’re doing, receiving it, passing, making a pass,” Flyers head coach Scott Gordon told reporters.

“That was pretty much consistent the only difference in the third period was a little more rain coming down.”

Ultimately, the conditions seemed to favor the Flyers more physical style as the game wore on — the Penguins were already without two of their top defensemen, Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin, who were both lost during a sequence in which Simmonds delivered a hard, high hit on the latter — and helped them spark their late comeback in which James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek both scored with goaltender Brian Elliott pulled for the extra attacker late in regulation.

“It’s (raining) pretty good, with a lead that would usually work to your advantage with pucks and things like that,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby told reporters.

“But, unfortunately we gave them some life there and they took advantage of it.”

How far this win can take the Flyers, however, remains to be seen. Regular starting goaltender Carter Hart was ruled out for the next ten days with a lower-body injury suffered just prior to the Stadium Series game, and Simmonds is expected to be dealt to a contender at the trade deadline.

However, for a team that seemed to be dead in the water after two rough losses leading up to their triumph over the Penguins, they’re now just seven points back of the Carolina Hurricanes for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ll host the Buffalo Sabres back in the indoor comforts of the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night.

“Especially to have the two games that we had last Tuesday and Thursday being down 3-0 ten minutes into the game it’s frustrating especially where we were on such a good run and sometimes eventually you’re going to lose a game,” Gordon said.

“The wheels kind of fell off there for two games and hopefully the energy we get from this win will carry over to Tuesday.”