Tyson Foerster scored twice in regulation and Bobby Brink netted the only goal of the shootout as the Philadelphia Flyers eliminated the New York Islanders from playoff contention with a 4-3 home victory on Saturday.
Samuel Ersson made 37 saves in regulation before stopping all five shootout attempts for Philadelphia (33-37-9, 75 points), which has won five of its last six games. Brink’s decisive shootout goal featured a series of stick-handling moves before he snapped a wrister past Marcus Hogberg.
Anders Lee, Noah Dobson and Bo Horvat each registered a goal and an assist for New York (34-33-12, 80 points). Hogberg made 19 saves as the Islanders lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
With the game tied at 2 midway through the third period, Owen Tippett found Foerster in front of the net — and Foerster snapped the puck past Hogberg for his fifth goal in the last two games.
The Islanders tied it with just over a minute left in regulation, as Horvat’s shot from the top of the right circle ricocheted off the stick of Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim and into the net.
After recording his first career hat trick in Wednesday’s win over the New York Rangers, Foerster opened the scoring in this one with a power-play goal early in the second period. He skated toward the crease from a sharp angle, found a bit of space and roofed a backhander over Hogberg.
New York responded with a power-play goal of its own midway through the second period. Dobson made the key play with a slap pass, right to the doorstep, where Lee redirected the puck past Ersson.
Dobson found the net himself about seven minutes later following a nifty no-look, behind-the-back pass from Horvat.
Philadelphia’s tying score — just over four minutes into the third — was an impressive goal, as well. On a 3-on-2 rush, Ryan Poehling sent a pass to Tippett, who quickly found Jakob Pelletier in front. Pelletier slipped a backhander past Hogberg, giving him points in six of the last seven games.
–Field Level Media
