Senators Edge Flyers in Overtime After Late Drysdale Equalizer
PHILADELPHIA - On a night when offense was hard to come by, the Ottawa Senators found just enough to leave Philadelphia with two points. Tim Stützle’s overtime winner sealed a 2-1 victory for Ottawa at Xfinity Mobile Arena, despite a late equalizer from Jamie Drysdale that gave the Flyers a pulse in the final minutes of regulation.
It wasn’t pretty - far from it - but it was gritty. And in a game that lacked rhythm and execution, the Senators managed to capitalize on the few chances they created. Nick Cousins and Stützle were the goal-scorers for Ottawa, while Drysdale delivered the lone tally for Philadelphia.
Let’s take a closer look at how this one unfolded.
First 40: A Grind With Little to Show
This game started off looking like two teams stuck in neutral. The first period was a slog - disjointed, low-energy, and light on action.
The Flyers managed just two shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes. Two.
Against James Reimer, who was a late fill-in starter after Linus Ullmark was scratched. Reimer came in with a goals-against average north of 3.20 and a save percentage under .870.
On paper, it was a golden opportunity for Philadelphia to jump out early.
But the Flyers couldn’t get anything going. They struggled to enter the zone cleanly, couldn’t sustain pressure, and looked out of sync from the opening puck drop. Ottawa wasn’t exactly lighting it up either, but their eight shots in the first were at least enough to keep Flyers goalie Dan Vladar engaged.
The second period wasn’t much better for Philadelphia. Ten minutes in, they had increased their shot total to a modest five. And even when Ottawa gifted them some extended zone time - including a stretch where Dylan Cozens was essentially rendered useless after losing a skate blade - the Flyers still couldn’t generate a quality scoring chance.
Eventually, Ottawa broke through. Shane Pinto fired a shot that Vladar couldn’t fully handle, and Nick Cousins was there to clean up the rebound for his eighth goal of the season. That gave the Senators a 1-0 lead heading into the second intermission - a lead that, based on the flow of play, felt like a mountain for the Flyers to climb.
Flyers Shake Things Up, Drysdale Delivers Late
With offense at a premium, the Flyers coaching staff went to the line blender to open the third period - and not just a minor shuffle. This was a full reset:
- Zegras-Dvorak-Konecny
- Grebenkin-Couturier-Tippett
- Michkov-Cates-Brink
- Grundstrom-Barkey-Hathaway
The change sparked a bit more urgency, but not much in terms of clean execution. The best look of the night came midway through the third, when Sean Couturier made a strong net drive after a zone entry from Owen Tippett.
Couturier’s first chance was denied by Reimer’s pad, and the rebound opportunity sailed wide. It was the kind of moment that’s defined the Flyers’ recent offensive struggles - good setup, solid effort, but no finish.
Puck management remained a problem. Passes weren’t connecting, and when they did, they didn’t stick. The Flyers couldn’t hold onto the puck long enough to build any real momentum.
But with time winding down and Vladar on the bench for the extra attacker, Philadelphia finally broke through. Jamie Drysdale, who’s shown a knack for timely goals this season, fired home his fifth of the year with just 1:14 left in regulation. Bobby Brink and Trevor Zegras picked up the assists, and just like that, the Flyers had life.
Overtime, though, was short-lived.
Stützle Ends It Quickly
The extra frame lasted just over a minute. Travis Konecny took a shot that kicked off Reimer’s pad and rimmed around the boards - a tough bounce that turned into trouble.
Ottawa pounced, turning the transition into a 2-on-1 rush. Brady Tkachuk fed Tim Stützle, and the Senators’ star forward did what stars do: he buried it.
Stützle’s 28th of the season was the dagger, sending the Flyers home with just one point and leaving the building with a sense of what could’ve been.
Final Thoughts
This was a missed opportunity for the Flyers. Facing a backup goalie with shaky numbers and a team on the second night of a back-to-back, they couldn’t find the extra gear until the final moments of regulation. Drysdale’s clutch goal salvaged a point, but the lack of offensive cohesion - especially through the first two periods - continues to be a concern.
For Ottawa, it wasn’t a statement win, but it was a resilient one. They didn’t play their best hockey, but they capitalized on the chances they got, leaned on Reimer when they needed him, and walked away with the full two points.
Philadelphia will need to regroup quickly. The effort was there late, but in the NHL, 20 minutes of push usually isn’t enough to get the job done.