Punchless Flyers fall to Sharks in overtime

The Flyers' much-maligned defense played one of its strongest games of the season Thursday, not allowing San Jose much offensive-zone time after the first period.

But it wasn't enough because the Flyers' offense came up short. Again.

Melker Karlsson scored on a two-on-one with 1 minute, 15 seconds left in overtime as the Sharks outlasted the Flyers, 1-0, at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers' penalty kill was excellent, stopping all four San Jose power plays and allowing a total of just two shots in 7:26.

Overall, the Flyers yielded two shots in about a 25-minute span in the second and third periods.

"We took their time and space away," said center Sean Couturier after playing a solid two-way game.

"The guys were really good defensively tonight," said defenseman Radko Gudas, who contributed a game-high six hits. "I think we can be happy with the way the defensive game went; we just have to focus now on scoring more goals."

The Flyers have scored a league-low 15 goals - and just seven at even-strength - in their 10 home games.

"We're squeezing the sticks a little tight," winger Wayne Simmonds said. "We're going to get one bounce, and one's going to go off our butt, one's going to go off someone's head or something" and break things open.

Simmonds and Couturier each had five shots for the Flyers, who had a 34-21 shots advantage - and a 28-11 domination after the first period

"We have to work harder, keep going to the net and they'll go in eventually," Simmonds said.

The Sharks had a four-on-three at the start of overtime because of a Simmonds tripping penalty with 18.9 seconds left in a scoreless regulation.

Thanks to Steve Mason's stop on Patrick Marleau (999 career points) in front, the Flyers killed off the penalty.

The Sharks recorded their ninth straight win at the Wells Fargo Center since 2000. Overall, the Flyers have just one win in their last 18 meetings (1-10-7) against San Jose.

San Jose scored the game-winner after the Flyers couldn't finish an offensive chance down the other end.

"There's opportunities down one end, and then if you don't get back right away, there's odd-man rushes that happen both ways," Mason said.

Mason (20 saves), bothered by personal issues and an illness earlier in the season, had his third straight high-quality start.

"I think finally I'm feeling like myself," he said. "It was definitely a tough start to the year, just mentally and emotionally."

The Flyers had more chances in the second period - they outshot the Sharks, 15-5 - but goalie Martin Jones had all the answers. He made key stops on Simmonds and Jake Voracek to keep the game scoreless.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also had a quality second-period opportunity as he outraced the defense, skated through the right circle, and fired wide of the left post.

Couturier and his linemates did a commendable job on Joe Thornton's line. That contributed to the Sharks going nearly 13 minutes between shots in the second period.

San Jose had a territorial advantage, a 15-4 faceoff domination, and a 10-6 shots edge in the opening period, one in which Mason made his best save on a point-blank backhander by Justin Braun early in the session.

Michael Raffl, sent in on a breakaway by defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, had the Flyers' best first-period scoring chance, but he fired his shot right at Jones.

The Flyers have points in three straight games for the second time this season, but they felt they should have had two points in each of their last two games: a shootout loss to Los Angeles, and the overtime defeat to San Jose.

"You have to look at it positively," said Gostisbehere, whose team is 1-0-2 since he was promoted from the Phantoms. "We're playing really good hockey right now; it's just some bounces aren't going our way. . . . We're going in the right direction."

scarchidi@phillynews.com

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