Danny Briere scores game-winner as Philadelphia Flyers edge New York Islanders in overtime 4-3
After New York rallied in the first period to take a commanding lead heading into the final moments of the game, Philadelphia slowly made a comeback while Danny Briere forced an overtime extension with his equalising shot and scored the game-winner in OT to lift the Flyers over the Islanders, 4-3, Wednesday night, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, United States.
"It always seems you need a lucky bounce to get going," Briere said. "The puck had eyes."
Following the opening shot which gave Philadelphia the go ahead to work on by Andrej Meszaros in the opening 18 seconds of the first period, the Islanders rebounded and scored three straight as Kyle Okposo fired off his first two of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season and Michael Grabner added another with less than two minutes remaining.
Veteran Philadelphia forward, Scott Hartnell, added the Flyers second of the night 5:24 into the second period on an early power play opportunity while it was Danny Briere who helped in holding off the Islanders for the equaliser in the third period with less than six minutes left to play.
Heading it the overtime extension, both teams were certainly looking forward to making that game deciding goal, but it was Briere who carried on with the same momentum he ended the third period of regulation to score midway through OT.
Sergei Bobrovsky was in the net for the Philadelphia Flyers and managed to block all 23 shots, including a key number of back-to-back saves during the final period and overtime as well, which were crucial in allowing them to win.
"He stopped two breakaways back-to-back. I think that could have been the turning point of the game. Those were two key saves," Briere said of Bobrovsky. "It's not easy coming in relief like that but he did a marvellous job."
Philadelphia will look forward to continue winning as they host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday before taking off back to New York in order to face the New York Rangers on Saturday.
The Islanders are certainly looking to snap their three-game slump when they play the New Jersey Devils at home on Friday.
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