Giroux, Flyers erupt late for comeback victory

Five goals in the third period. Five goals that turned a 3-0 loss into an improbable 5-4 victory. Five goals that saw the Flyers go above .500 for the first time since the last game of the lockout shortened season. Five goals that finally put Craig Berube’s team in a playoff spot -- third in the Metropolitan Division with 36 points -- for the first time this season.

“It’s a big win for our club,” understated Flyers captain Claude Giroux.

The G-man looked and played like the Giroux we’ve known for past couple seasons with two dramatic goals back to back to win the game.

“We stuck with it,” he said.

Berube was impressed with his centerman.

“He’s really skating and working and going the right way -- north,” Berube said. “His whole line is all working together well. Jake [Voracek] is skating well. He’s attacking with speed. [Michael] Raff is a real good compliment right now.”

Giroux’s game-winner with 1:38 of play was simply unconscious.

Falling down, back to the net, puck on the stick, and a blind, backhanded shot past goalie Curtis McElhinney.

Wells Fargo Center erupted like it was a playoff game. We haven’t seen that kind of emotion in a while here.

“To be honest, I haven’t seen the replay to know what happened,” Giroux said of that goal, which coincidentally was his 100th career NHL goal, as well. “Just trying to get it on net.”

Scott Hartnell got a good view.

"I was right in front and I thought he was just going to shoot it backdoor for a rebound, but I saw it in slow motion go into the top corner," Hartnell said. "I was like, 'Oh, my gosh.' That should be top on SportsCenter tonight."

When someone described his goal as “impossible” and how it happened, Giroux smiled.

“Going negative again, eh? No, I was just so tired, I was trying to get it on net,” he said. “Most of our goals, just shoot it on net. Go for rebounds.”

That’s why the Flyers were able to pull it out. They charged the net like a herd of buffaloes in the final period seeking out rebounds.

Eric Gustafsson rebounding Wayne Simmonds’ shot to bring the Flyers to within 4-3.
Giroux lunging his stick on a Raffl shot in the paint to make it 4-4 with his first goal of the evening at 16:14.

Now the Flyers are over .500. Over the hump.

You don’t think this was huge? Hey, Columbus coach Todd Richards was 36-0-1 when leading going into a third period.

“In the last two years, first time we’re over .500 or something like that,” Giroux said. “For us to get that step in earlier, to be over .500 and in the playoff race, it’s a little motivation for the guys. Hopefully, we can build on it.”

And to think, it was 3-0 after two periods.

A second period that was nothing short of simply embarrassing followed up by a final period that was nothing short of spectacular.

It’s hard to overcome a one-goal deficit in the NHL let alone three in the final period. In fact, the Flyers were 1-11-0 when trailing after two periods.

Berube called his team out between periods.

“Yeah, basically,” he laughed. “Just went and told this is what happened and why. They know. There’s a lot of character in that room. They understand fully. Sometimes they have to be told.

“We talked before the game about a playoff spot and being above .500 … We got outworked [in the second], but they responded in the third period with effort from everybody. It’s a great win. Our captain came up big.”

For himself, too.

“In practice you work on your stuff and just try to improve every game,” Giroux said.

- Tim Panaccio, CSN Philly