Tyson Foerster’s flurry of two goals in 45 seconds lifts Flyers past Senators, 4-2

Time is ticking down and the Flyers’ schedule is anything but an easy one.

Facing an Ottawa Senators team that is last in the Atlantic Division, this was a game circled as a must-win weeks ago. The red circle became even thicker after a losing effort Friday night in the nation’s capital — and it wasn’t a gimme at the Wells Fargo Center.

The visiting squad gave them fits at times, but the Flyers did what a team inside the playoff bubble should be doing — beat a team well below them in the standings with a 4-2 victory over the Senators.

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Like Friday night, the Flyers jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Joel Farabee finally broke through and snapped a 14-game goal drought in the first period with a nifty deflection of a Nick Seeler point shot.

But, also like Friday night’s 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, the opposition made a push to start the second period. The Senators collected five shot attempts to the Flyers’ two before Vladimir Tarasenko tied things up 1-1 with a backhander short-side past Felix Sandström.

The Flyers’ lull lasted a bit before they started to turn it up and match the Senators’ intensity. But it took till the last minute of the middle frame for the Orange and Black — er, Tyson Foerster — to break through.

With 47 seconds left, Scott Laughton won an offensive-zone faceoff and Foerster settled the bouncing puck, before snapping the puck past a crouched Mads Søgaard. Forty-five seconds later, Foerster broke in and was hooked by Shane Pinto as he drove to the net. Awarded a penalty shot, Foerster capitalized on the opportunity, scoring low glove side to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead and make some history. It marked the fifth penalty shot for the Flyers this season — the most in a single season by any NHL team.

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The Flyers almost gave it all away thanks to undisciplined play in the third period. Sandström played well in the game and made 24 saves, including a big-time stop on a Jake Sanderson one-timer during a four-minute minor to Cam York for high-sticking.

Thomas Chabot did cut it to one, knocking in the puck after Dominik Kubalik whiffed on a shot in the slot during a six-on-five with 1 minute, 58 seconds left. But after some pressure from the Senators, the Flyers got the puck out and York scored an empty-netter with 1 second remaining.

Foerster, Laughton, Morgan Frost, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny have each scored a penalty shot this season. ... Olle Lycksell and Ronnie Attard were each a healthy scratch. Attard has yet to play a game since being recalled on Thursday from Lehigh Valley. ... Bobby Brink played on a line with Nic Desluariers and Couturier. ... Cam Atkinson returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games.

Monday night brings the return of Kevin Hayes to Philly. The Flyers host the St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m. on NBCSP.