The Leafs built a two-goal lead early in the first period, and looked firmly in control of the game after twenty minutes. They had several good opportunities to score and the game could easily have been 3-0 with the chances they were generating.
Jake Gardiner opened the scoring showing some great patience on the point after some great forechecking work by Troy Bodie. Nazem Kadri slammed home a Joffrey Lupul rebound just over a minute later to make it 2-0 and the Leafs looked like they were well on their way to an easy two points.
Kimmo Timonen replied twice for the Flyers - once in the second period and once in the third - to tie the game at two. After Mason Raymond and Braydon Coburn exchanged goals in the third period, it was time for OT.
Kadri's line again provided the necessary spark, with Lupul finishing off a nice passing play to chip home the game winner.
Philadelphia picked up an important point but the Leafs, who are about to embark on a Californian road trip, felt even better, knowing that points will be hard to come by over the next few games.
Notes on the game:
- Kessel's line looked very weak, JvR aside.
- Matchups played a role in the Kessel line's success. They faced Claude Giroux's line most of the night and this simply did not work out very well for them.
- Nazem Kadri's line looked good throughout the game. Not perfect, mind you, but they had the best zone time and chances of all the Leafs' trios.
- Troy Bodie is probably the best 4th liner the Leafs have dressed this year. He can skate, shoot, and he's gigantic.
- Frazer McLaren drew back into the lineup tonight. It was unfortunate for several reasons, not least of which he took himself out of the play on his 5th shift to start a fight. Surprise!
- This wasn't Bernier's best game by any stretch. He went 28/31 on the night but did what the team needed to win. A ho-hum performance from the man we've come to expect greatness of. He was merely 'good' tonight.
- Gardiner seemed more comfortable jumping into the rush tonight. I wonder why.