PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers kept firing at Tim Thomas. Breakaways, wrist shots, slap shots. Using his pads, his stick, his body, Thomas turned them all away 46 straight times.
Thomas shook off a slow start and stopped all the perfectly placed shots — and Boston rewarded him for it in overtime.
Thomas was phenomenal, David Krejci scored 14:00 into overtime, and the Bruins beat Philadelphia 3-2 last night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
A Vezina Trophy finalist, Thomas stopped 46 consecutive shots after the Flyers took a quick 2-0 lead in the first period. He snared and smothered pucks, stopped them with his legs and elbows, and muted a Flyers offense that never stopped shooting.
“He was by far the star of the game,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “He stood tall, and if it wasn’t for Timmy, we wouldn’t be standing here with a win.”
The series now shifts to Boston for the next two games tomorrow and Friday.
In overtime, Krejci fired a one-timer from one knee that ricocheted off the back off the net and back onto the ice. Play continued until officials could review the call. But the goal was clearly good.
“At first I thought it was in. Then they kept playing,” Krejci said.
James van Riemsdyk had a breakout game for the Flyers. He scored two goals and was all over the ice trying to help Philadelphia win at least one at home.
Instead, the Flyers have to rally from another deficit.
“I think we’re going to go into Boston, we’re going to play a strong hockey game and we’re going to win the game,” Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said.
Chris Kelly and Brad Marchand also scored for the Bruins, who have taken a seemingly commanding lead on the Flyers for the second straight year. Boston led 3-0 in the East semis a year ago before the Flyers won four straight to advance — including a rally from a 3-0 hole in Game 7.
Thomas was on the bench for that collapse.
He is determined not to let that happen on his watch. Thomas, who finished with 52 saves last night, was tested under pressure all game and shook off the slow start to stop everything fired his way.
“They got a couple of quick goals, a couple of good bounces,” Thomas said. “But, as the game went on, I just tried to build. By the time I got to the third period, I was starting to feel real good.”
“It’s the perfect scenario to be able to win the first two games on the road,” Julien said. “But we know they’re not going to give up.”
