|
 Finally, there was reason to celebrate.
That's because the Flyers snapped a six-game home losing streak by
defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime on Monday at Wells
Fargo Center.
"We're pushing a lot of small areas in the right direction,"
Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said. "We just have to keep pushing.
The feeling and the focus in the locker room is good. Nobody's
comfortable with the won-loss record and that's a good thing."
After being shut out the previous two games, the Flyers (7-9-5)
snapped a goalless streak of 167:54 with a second-period marker by
center Brayden Schenn as Philadelphia earned its first home win in
30 days.
Center Claude Giroux also scored and added two assists for the
Flyers, who won for only the third time in the last 14 games
(3-7-4).
After Carolina erased a 2-0 deficit in the third period,
Philadelphia defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere put the comeback to rest
24 seconds into the extra session with a power-play goal.
"We had about 10 seconds to draw up a play," Gostisbehere said. "It
wasn't quite the play, but it worked out."
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes (7-10-4) lost their eighth game over the
last 10 (2-4-4).
"We didn't play very well through 40 and then we found a way to get
it tied up," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "To play less than 60
minutes and be able to get a point is good."
Both teams went with their backup goaltenders.
The Flyers' Michal Neuvirth (4-3-1) made 31 saves and picked up his
first win that didn't come via shutout.
The Hurricanes' Eddie Lack (1-4-1) stopped 33 shots and is winless
since Oct. 29. Philadelphia put him under heavy attack in the second
period to put Carolina in a two-goal hole entering the third.
"We gave up quite a few shots in the second," Peters said. "There
was some quality to go along with the quantity."
Each goalie was facing offensive-weary teams as the Flyers entered
last in the NHL in goals, while the Hurricanes were 28th. After
playing true to their rankings in the first period, Philadelphia
struck midway through the second.
Schenn finished off some pretty puck movement from Giroux and right
winger Jakub Voracek by tipping in a power-play goal for a 1-0
Flyers lead. It was Schenn's sixth of the season.
"It was nice to see one go in," Hakstol said. "Obviously, it's been
a while since one's gone in. So that was good for our group."
Once Philadelphia scored, it kept coming. Less than five minutes
later, Giroux scored a short-handed goal on a rebound off a wrist
shot by center Sean Couturier.
[to top of second column] |
"We need to find a way to play like that for 60 minutes, game in and
game out," Giroux said of the second period. "It's hard to stay
focused like that, but good teams do it."
The Hurricanes cut the deficit in half 7:58 into the third period
when center Victor Rask scored off a rebound of his own shot.
Neuvirth made a leg save on a slap shot by defenseman John-Michael
Liles, but it took a big bounce right to Rask, who put it home for
his sixth goal of the season.
Defenseman Brett Pesce tied it on a rebound with 3:45 remaining in
regulation.
"The guys did a good job for the most part once we dug in," Peters
said.
It got Carolina to overtime. But given its skid, Philadelphia
couldn't let this one slip.
"They made a good push and part of that is we took our foot off the
gas a little bit," Hakstol said. "Maybe a little bit natural with
some of the struggles we've gone through. We'll take a lot of the
positives out of this."
NOTES: Flyers C Sam Gagner (upper body) left the game in the first
period and did not return after taking a hit and falling hard to the
ice. ... Prior to puck drop, which was delayed to 8 p.m., former LW
Rod Brind'Amour was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame, becoming
the 24th member. Over parts of nine seasons in Philadelphia,
Brind'Amour played 633 games and totaled 235 goals and 366 assists
for 601 points. Overall, he finished 21 NHL seasons and holds the
Flyers' all-time record of consecutive games played at 484. In 10
seasons with the Hurricanes, Brind'Amour won two Frank J. Selke
trophies (NHL's best defensive forward) and the 2006 Stanley Cup
finals. ... Flyers C R.J. Umberger (foot), D Mark Streit (detached
pubic plate) and C Ryan White (upper body) remained out of the
lineup. ... Hurricanes D Ryan Murphy missed his fourth straight game
as he recovers from a concussion. ... C Vincent Lecavalier and D
Evgeny Medvedev were healthy scratches for the Flyers. ... LW Nathan
Gerbe and D Michal Jordan were healthy scratches for the Hurricanes.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
