Giroux’s OT winner propels Flyers over Buffalo in thriller

Claude Giroux's four-point performance Wednesday night in Buffalo put him atop the NHL scoring board with 36 points. Photo/AP

By Chris DiFrancesco, Phila Phans’ Flyers beat writer

All Claude Giroux did Wednesday night in Buffalo was score four points, which includes an overtime game winner, and become the NHL’s sole scoring leader with 36 points.

Another night at the office, eh?

Giroux’s 16th goal on the season at 2:37 of the overtime period gave the Flyers their 16th win on the year and made them 13-0-1 when leading after the second period.

“I tried to find a hole and saw him move his stick there and put it right in the five-hole,” said Giroux on his game winning goal.

“It’s early in the season and a lot of hockey to play. Just tonight, we showed a lot of character. We worked our ass off.”

The 23-year old Hearst, Ontario native also added three helpers to his gaudy scoresheet propelling him by Toronto’s Phil Kessel for the league lead in points.

The whole game wasn’t all gravy for Philadelphia as they had to yet again dig themselves out of another three goal deficit. It was also another slow start for goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

Ville Leino’s third goal of the season came on the power-play midway through the first period after a tic-tac-toe scene with Zack Kassian and Luke Adam after a costly Braydon Coburn turnover.

Kassian was next up at 18:55 making it 2-0 after a wicked wrister that beat Bryzgalov high.

After Thomas Vanek’s power-play with just 23 seconds remaining in the first period to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead, the Flyers caught a break.

With a second to spare, Max Talbot scored to make it 3-1 after a costly Buffalo turnover in their own zone. Immediately after the goal Zac Rinaldo and dropped the gloves. The goal followed by Rinaldo’s scrap seemed to give the Flyers all the momentum they needed heading into the second frame.

“That goal [from Talbot] was huge because it was a two-goal game instead of three,” said Scott Hartnell.

“Then Zac tosses the mitts, throwing some right and lefts, that gave us a lot of energy. But coming into the locker room the coach wasn’t happy and we weren’t happy.”

The second period was all orange and black.

Matt Read’s 11th goal of the season brought the Flyers to within one at 5:27 in the second period. With Wayne Simmonds screening Ryan Miller in front, Read let off a slap shot that snuck through for the tally.

Hartnell tied the game at 3-3 with a blast from beyond the left circle that stunned Miller at 14:45.

“I think G [Claude Giroux] did a good job of retrieving the puck,” Hartnell said. “That kind of opened it up for a one-timer. I kind of stopped and I looked for a pass right away to a guy coming into the slot. But I was able to get the shot off. I’m not sure if it hit his stick or not but it found the back of the net.”

That was Hartnell’s 12th on the season and third in as many games.

Just over three minutes later Jagr whipped a wrister through two Sabres players and Miller to give the Flyers their first lead of the game.

Once again the Flyers fell flat and gave up the lead when Drew Stafford made things even at 4-4 with under two minutes left in regulation.

“That’s the type of team we are, we don’t quit,” said Giroux. “We have a lot of character, and we’re having a lot of fun here. The second period we played our game, and the third period, too.”

“We don’t ever seem to back off, or say, `Not tonight,’” Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. “Guys keep fighting for it, which is impressive.”

The only real rough spot of the game for the Flyers was the inconsistent play of Bryzgalov. With 20 saves on 24 shots including two softies that should never have hit the back of the net, fans should have a little bit of a queezy feeling.

Let’s go to the same extent as TV analyst Pierre McGuire who said the Flyers need a goaltender. That’s overreacting at its finest. 

 Laviolette should start Bryz Thursday night against Pittsburgh to really see what he has in his number one netminder.

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Posted by Chris DiFrancesco on Dec 8 2011. Filed under Breaking News, Chris DiFrancesco, Featured News, Flyers/NHL, NHL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.