The Bruins have experienced what playoff hockey will be like in their last two games against Metropolitan Division teams.
And they have not shown enough urgency and timely goaltending in both games.
In the third period, Linus Ullmark made some difficult saves but allowed two long distance shots, leading to the Bruins' second consecutive loss, a 3-2 decision to the Flyers in Philadelphia.
After not taking advantage of a Ranger team with missing defensemen in their loss on Thursday, the B’s also couldn’t beat a similarly short-handed Flyers team.
The first period didn’t offer many scoring chances or entertainment except for a strong reaction from captain Brad Marchand.
During the first break, both teams were tied at 0-0 despite Flyer defenseman Erik Johnson's dangerous hit on Marchand, which led to a two-minute penalty for him.
In the second period, both teams had surges of offensive zone time. The B’s had the Flyers hemmed in for over 2:00 in their own zone at one point. Their best chance of the period came when James van Riemsdyk had Samuel Ersson down but could not lift the puck over him from the top of the crease.
The Flyers broke the ice with an ugly goal late in the second period after a high-sticking penalty on Andrew Peeke. The mishit turned into a perfect pass to Travis Konecny at the side of the net after Scott Laughton fed Tyson Foerster in the slot.
Ullmark made a great pad save on Konecny but accidentally knocked the airborne puck into the net.
The Flyers almost scored a second goal when Hampus Lindholm’s indecision in the offensive zone turned into a breakaway for Laughton, who was stopped by Ullmark.
Despite the Flyers missing three defensemen, the B’s had only managed 12 shots on net. David Pastrnak, who missed the net on a one-timer chance in the first period, had not hit the net.
In the third period, coach Jim Montgomery changed his lines, putting Justin Brazeau up with Charlie Coyle and Marchand. At 10:19, it paid off as Brazeau scored to even the game for his fourth goal in three games.
After a chaotic moment in the B’s zone, Mason Lohrei broke the puck out and fed Coyle on the right wing. Once in the zone, Coyle made a nice pass to Brazeau, who tucked a backhander past Ersson to even the game.
Then things really became more active.
With 4:44 remaining in regulation, the Flyers got back the lead as Konecny scored from a long distance on the left side, beating Ullmark.
But just 56 seconds later, the B’s tied it up again. With the B’s making a change, Morgan Geekie went into the Flyer zone 1-on-4 but managed to keep the puck until he received help. He found Danton Heinen on the left wing, and Heinen scored to make it 2-2.
After Ullmark stopped Owen Tippett, he allowed another goal from the left wing with 1:29 left in regulation. Perhaps with the help of Brandon Carlo’s stick, Foerster beat Ullmark’s glove to the far corner.
The B’s removed Ullmark from the ice for the next faceoff to add an extra skater, but they couldn't get the tying goal.
