Flyers play red-hot Hurricanes tough, but surrender two goals in final minute for second straight loss

RALEIGH, N.C. — In a scene from Letterkenny, Coach tells the hockey players that they need to, among other things, watch the tape and play with some intensity.

Reilly, played by Dylan Playfair, the son of former NHLer and coach Jim Playfair, says in response: “So what you‘re saying is, we’re at this level, and we got to get to this level,” as he moves his right hand to his chin and left hand to his forehead.

Speaking before the team’s optional morning skate, Flyers coach John Tortorella said about the night, “I have a good feeling” — and, yes, his team had watched the tape. The Orange and Black did play with more intensity on Tuesday and went toe-toe with the Carolina Hurricanes.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ transition game has stalled this season. Sean Walker’s absence is a major reason why.

But facing a team that was riding a six-game winning streak, and only had two losses in their first 10 games, the result was the same. The Flyers lost 6-4 as Martin Necas scored with 29.3 seconds left in regulation after sustained pressure by the home team. Seth Jarvis added an empty-netter.

Things started well for the Flyers. During a five-on-three, Matvei Michkov skated the puck high and took a shot from above the circles. It hit Owen Tippett in front and the puck went right to Travis Konecny at the left post for the easy tap-in to make it made it 1-0.

The Hurricanes tied it up in the opening frame when Jackson Blake was left alone in front and Jack Drury found him with a no-look, behind-the-back pass. South Jersey native Eric Robinson made it 2-1 in the second as Carolina transitioned the puck up the ice and he got behind the defense to beat Aleksei Kolosov short-side. Jordan Martinook made it a two-goal lead 54 seconds later, tapping in a puck in the crease after Kolosov stopped his initial deflection.

But the Flyers played at another level Tuesday. After providing puck support at the point so Nick Seeler can pinch, Tippett got the puck in the left faceoff circle and fired off the quick shot top-shelf. It is his second goal of the season.

In the third period, Morgan Frost tied it up with a goal that describes his season. Travis Sanheim sent a cross-crease pass that saw Frost whiff on the shot into an open net — and then the puck went off his leg and trickled into the open net. His first goal of the season tied it 3-3.

But then, 29 seconds later, after Emil Andrae caught an edge and went down, Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho raced in with the puck. With Scott Laughton and Tyson Foerster bearing down, Aho got off a shot as Laughton tipped it slightly away. Kolosov made a good right-pad save on Aho and tried to corral the loose puck with his blocker as he laid on the ice but couldn’t grab the puck and Jack Roslovic buried it.

» READ MORE: Aleksei Kolosov wanted an NHL shot. With Sam Ersson out injured, he has it.

Could Tortorella have been on to something when he said he had a good feeling? Maybe the Hockey Gods were finally being good to the Flyers because Konecny tied it up again at 4. The winger put pressure on Jalen Chatfield, who turned it right over to Sean Couturier. The Flyers captain backhanded the puck and it nicked the stick of Konecny and beat Pyotr Kochetkov for his second of the game.

Defenseman Egor Zamula returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for four games. Erik Johnson, who has played in 997 NHL games, was a healthy scratch. ... Forward Ryan Poehling missed the game due to personal reasons. Noah Cates took his spot at center on the fourth line and Nick Deslauriers returned to the lineup on the wing. ... Goalie Sam Ersson, who was injured Saturday, skated after the team’s morning skate in Raleigh.

The Flyers head further south for a matchup with Cam Atksinon and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN+/HULU).