NEW YORK _ The Flyers had a point in their grip for roughly 50 seconds.
In the final minute of regulation, the Flyers surrendered the game-winning goal to New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock in a 5-3 loss Tuesday at the Barclays Center. Pulock's goal came less than a minute after Sean Couturier tied things up at 3 after the puck deflected off the boards directly toward his stick with 1:32 left in the third period.
New York's fifth goal came on an empty-netter from Islanders winger Leo Komarov.
The Flyers (31-19-7) entered the night just one point behind the Isles in the crowded Metropolitan Division standings, but they lost the chance to gain ground in the playoff race partly thanks to a lackadaisical start to the second game of a back-to-back for the Flyers.
The Islanders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. After getting blitzed early, the Flyers responded with two goals in less than three minutes during the second period. Flyers winger Travis Konecny got them on the board with a wrist shot set up by winger James van Riemsdyk, and Robert Hagg beat Isles goaltender Semyon Varlamov 2 minutes, 20 seconds later to get back within one goal.
"(Van Riemsdyk) made an unbelievable pass across there and I just tried to find a soft area," Konecny said. "I was kind of taking my options as I was walking in but there was really nothing else other than to just throw the puck on net."
Hagg continued his strong response to being a healthy scratch Thursday against the New Jersey Devils by scoring his second goal of the season.
The Islanders tested Flyers goalie Brian Elliott early and often, getting several quality looks on net in the first period. They cashed in for a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission. The first score came on Isles forward Josh Bailey's one-timer set up by center Mathew Barzal. The second came after Flyers defenseman Philippe Myers got caught out of position, leading to a two-on-one transition score by Isles fourth-line winger Matt Martin.
Jordan Eberle gave New York a three-goal advantage, scoring on a rebound late in the first period. The Flyers answered with two good looks on goal, but Varlamov stopped both.
Konecny's missed opportunity came just past the 10-minute mark of the third period when Brock Nelson earned a two-minute penalty for holding Sean Couturier.
The Flyers haven't managed to beat the Islanders this season, going 0-2-1 in the season series with one game left to play on March 24 at the Wells Fargo Center. Each of the three games has come with the Flyers on the second of back-to-back games. The two teams hadn't played since Nov. 16, though.
"They were a much better team defensively and they were able to generate some quality chances," Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said of the earlier meetings.
Elliott got his 25th start of the season one night after second-year goalie Carter Hart held the Florida Panthers to one goal after missing nine games with a lower abdomen strain. Hart had 30 saves in his first game since Jan. 13.
The Flyers remained one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets were off, but return to action Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. The Flyers will play Columbus twice next week, with the first meeting coming Tuesday at home.
