Late blunder costs Flyers in devastating loss in Boston

BOSTON - The Flyers' season is on life support.

Drew Stafford scored on a long shot with 5.6 seconds left to give Boston a stunning 2-1 win at TD Garden on Saturday afternoon.

Stafford's lob to the net deflected off defenseman Brandon Manning's stick and past startled goalie Steve Mason.

"Unfortunately, no one else is in front and I had a good read on it, and unfortunately Mandog got his stick on it and deflected it back the opposite direction," Mason said after a defeat that, just like one in Boston two years ago, could pave the way for the Flyers to miss the playoffs. "It's an unfortunate mistake at a tough time."

"It's the bounce of the puck, and that's the way it goes," Manning said. "We still have 15 games left. There's lots of time here. We'll take a day [off] and move on."

Added Manning: "Unfortunately, it was a big moment, a big time in our season right now. It's tough right now, but you move on from it and try to get away from it, I guess."

Manning was asked if he would have done something differently, such as blocking the shot with his body, if he had a chance to relive the moment.

"What do you think?" he bristled.

The Flyers, who went 1-2-1 on the road trip, have one win in Boston in the last five years.

The loss, coupled with Toronto's win, moved the Flyers six points behind the Maple Leafs for the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot. The Leafs slipped ahead of the Islanders.

The Flyers were coming off a 3-2 loss Thursday in Toronto against a Maple Leafs team that had seven rookies in the lineup.

"We have no choice," right winger Jake Voracek said when asked how difficult it would be to regroup Monday against visiting Columbus. "We can sit in the locker room and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can get back to work."

The Flyers needed the win much more than Boston, but it was the Bruins who showed more desperation during the third period, outshooting the visitors, 12-4. At one point, the Flyers had one shot over a 20-minute span in the second and third periods.

Earlier, the Flyers tied it at 1-1 on Jordan Weal's third goal in the last six games, a rebound off a Wayne Simmonds shot with 18:33 left in the second period.

Boston challenged the goal, claiming Simmonds was offside at the start of the play. The video review was inconclusive, so the goal stood.

Boston took a 1-0 lead on David Pastrnak's power-play goal with 1:22 remaining in the first period. It was the sixth power-play tally the Flyers had allowed in 12 chances over their last three-plus games.

Defenseman Andrew MacDonald got outmuscled for the puck behind the net. The puck kicked free to Patrice Bergeron, who fed Pastrnak in front. Pastrnak got position on center Sean Couturier and knocked in his 28th goal, scoring from point-blank range.

A couple of minutes before Pastrnak's goal, the Flyers squandered a five-on-three opportunity. Again.

They had a five-on-three for 1:43, but Rask had all the answers. The Flyers had five shots on the five-on-three and two on the five-on-four, which included Rask's glove save on a close shot by Simmonds, who looked to the rafters in disbelief.

It marked the third time in the last 11 games the Flyers had failed to connect on a five-on-three. They failed to score against Calgary for a full two minutes with a two-man advantage, and against Florida for 1:05. They lost the first game and won the latter one.

With 10:59 left in the first period, the Flyers thought they had taken a 1-0 lead. Brayden Schenn raised his stick to signify a goal as he followed a shot taken by Jake Voracek.

On the ice, the referees said the puck didn't cross the goal line, then went to the video replay. After a lengthy look at the replay, it was announced the play had been ruled dead before Schenn's rebound attempt because of the ref's "intent to blow the whistle."

It was also ruled Voracek's shot did not cross the goal line.

No matter. The Flyers went back to work, got a five-on-three, and then failed to capitalize.

It would prove to be fatal.

Breakaways. Coach Dave Hakstol made a handful of line changes. Travis Konecny replaced Schenn as the second-line left winger. Schenn dropped to the third line, and winger Nick Cousins went from the third to the fourth line.