Flyers can’t stop Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs offense in 6-2 blowout loss

Just breathe.

Yes, the Flyers were handed a 6-2 loss by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center. But it was the first of a seven-game stretch that has the Orange and Black facing stiff competition, including these same Maple Leafs in less than a week.

The expectation going into the game was it wouldn’t be an easy one. After all, they were facing Auston Matthews and his crew, a team ranked fifth in goals scored despite winger Mitchell Marner being out with an injury.

Although most probably didn’t think that by the end of the first period, it would be 3-0 Maple Leafs and Sam Ersson would be pulled. And it could have been more.

Tyler Bertuzzi opened the scoring 121 seconds into the game with a nifty re-direct on the doorstep off a Matthews shot-pass. Then, off a face-off win in the Flyers zone, Morgan Rielly’s pass down to Connor Dewar in the left circle bounced off his skate before it went off Morgan Frost’s skate right to Pontus Holmberg in the slot for the quick strike.

Bertuzzi thought he made it 3-0 off a sick mid-air deflection from the right circle but the Flyers challenged and the league confirmed there was a hand pass by Matthews to Bertuzzi behind the net. But 3 minutes later, Timothy Liljegren did score, firing a shot from just inside the blue line past Ersson.

The second period had more of an even flow and the Flyers got one goal back — on the power play. Less than 24 hours after assistant coach Rocky Thompson, who is in charge of the power play said it “stinks,” the Flyers scored for the second straight game with the man advantage for the first time since mid-February. Owen Tippett knocked in the puck from the right circle off a Frost shot that went off the end board for his 24th of the year.

But after Felix Sandström stopped all seven shots he faced in the middle frame, the Leafs came alive again in the third.

Matthews scored his NHL-leading 55th goal of the season — in his 64th game; he has missed one game this season. Before Lou Nolan could finish announcing the goal, William Nylander potted his 35th from the high slot. The goal came just eight seconds after his buddy scored.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ power play still ‘stinks,’ but can they fix it in time for the playoffs?

Matthew Knies extended it to 6-1 seven seconds after Travis Konecny’s penalty for roughing expired. He scored a tap-in at the left post as three Flyers lost their sticks. Tyson Foerster scored the final goal of the night on a one-timer off the rush after receiving a pass from Travis Sanheim while the Flyers were shorthanded.

Cam Atkinson and Nic Deslauriers were again healthy scratches. Neither played Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. ... Ersson allowed three goals on 12 shots. Sandström allowed three goals on 15 shots. ... Garnet Hathaway and Max Domi were each given a 10-minute misconduct with 5:44 left in the game. ... The Flyers hosted their second annual Next Shift: Mentoring the Next Generation of Female Leaders prior to the game.

The Flyers ship up to Boston to take on the Bruins on Saturday (7 p.m. on NBCSP).