Flyers let lead slip in loss to Kings

The Philadelphia Flyers took on the Los Angeles Kings for their second game of a back-to-back on Dec. 29. They let a two-goal lead slip in the third period and it was downhill from there. They'd fall back under hockey .500 at 16-17-4.

Kevin Fiala gave the Kings a 1-0 lead at the 5:14 mark of the first period. Alex Laferriere set him up with a pass to the right circle and Fiala's slap shot went over the left shoulder of Flyers goaltender Aleksei Kolosov. He was a little flat on the goal line which gave Fiala room up top. Laferriere and Phillip Danault collected assists.

It would go to four-on-four at the 6:43 mark of the first period as Noah Cates was called for tripping and Kyle Burroughs for roughing.

Tyson Foerster tied the game up at one for the Flyers on the four-on-four at the 8:17 mark of the first period. Cam York found him ahead of the play and sent him on the breakaway. Foerster made a great move to free himself of the King defender and put the puck through the legs of Kings goaltender David Rittich. York and Travis Sanheim tallied assists.

Scott Laughton gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead at the 14:09 mark of the first period. Matvei Michkov tried to bank the puck off of Rittich and the rebound came out in front. Laughton then deposited a wrist shot past Rittich and into the net. Michkov and Morgan Frost were given assists.

The Kings tied the game up at two at the 16:54 mark of the second period. Brandt Clarke set up Adrian Kempe with a touch pass and his slap shot went past the glove of Kolosov. Clarke and Alex Turcotte received assists.

Michkov gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead at the 11:03 mark of the second period. Rasmus Ristolainen crashed the net, the puck came free to Michkov, and he banked the puck off the skate of Rittich. This gave him a goal and an assist so far in the game. Laughton and Ristolainen collected assists.

The Flyers took a 4-2 lead at the 13:42 mark of the second period courtesy of Joel Farabee. Garnet Hathaway's pass went off the pad of Rittich and Farabee found the loose puck in front. He then deposited a wrist shot past Rittich and into the net. Hathaway and Ryan Poehling tallied assists.

The Kings got back within one at the 15:04 mark of the second period. Travis Konecny turned the puck over which sent Warren Foegele on the breakaway. Kolosov made the initial save on Foegele but he collected the rebound and put it in the net. This made the score 4-3 Flyers. No assists were given.

Anze Kopitar tied the game up at four at the 6:44 mark of the third period. The puck went off of his chest in front and just past the goal line. The Kings managed to take advantage of a long shift for the Flyers and a failed clear. Quinton Byfield and Jacob Moverare were given assists.

The Kings got the game's first power play as Travis Sanheim got called for hooking at the 8:50 mark of the third period. It took only five seconds for the Kings to capitalize. Kopitar deflected Kempe's shot from the blue line and the puck went through the legs of Kolosov. This gave the Kings a 5-4 lead. Kempe tallied the lonely assist.

The game went to four-on-four at the 11:39 mark of the third period as Byfield got called for roughing and Michkov for high-sticking. Neither team took advantage but both had a few good chances.

Kempe got called for interference at the 13:22 mark of the third period which gave the Flyers their first power play of the game. They didn't capitalize on the opportunity but came close as Sanheim missed a wide-open net.

The Flyers went 0 for 1 on the power play and couldn't kill off the Kings' lonely advantage.

Kolosov did his best to keep the Flyers in the game but ultimately struggled. He saved 15 of 20 shots, giving him a .750 save percentage.

Goal Summary

1st Period:

Fiala (14) Assists: LaFerriere (13), Danault (16)

Foerster (10) Assists: York (6), Sanheim (15)

Laughton (8) Assists: Michkov (17), Frost (10)

Kempe (17) Assists: Clarke (18), Turcotte (10)

2nd Period:

Michkov (12) Assists: Laughton (13), Ristolainen (8)

Farabee (6) Assists: Hathaway (9), Poehling (10)

Foegele (11) Assists: none

3rd Period:

Kopitar (11) Assists: Byfield (11), Moverare (2)

Kopitar (12) (Power Play) Assists: Kempe (18)

Flyers Next Game

Flyers next game is Tuesday, Dec. 31 in San Jose against the Sharks.