LDN - Sports

Stolarz makes history as Flyers beat Flames

[November 28, 2016] PHILADELPHIA -- With more than 30 friends and family members in attendance, Anthony Stolarz became the first New Jersey-born goaltender to play and win an NHL game Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Stolarz allowed a goal on just the second shot he faced, but settled down to stop 29 of 32 shots in the Philadelphia Flyers' 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames.

"I didn't care if I gave up one, two, three, four," Stolarz said. "The biggest thing for me was getting the win. I just want to go out there and stop the puck and do my job. The guys in front of me did theirs. They did a great job of clearing shots, blocking them and getting a 4-1 lead helps you relax a little bit."

Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Chris VandeVelde and rookie Roman Lyubimov each picked up a goal and an assist for the Flyers, and Michael Raffl also netted a goal as Philadelphia (10-10-3) halted a two-game losing streak.

Defenseman T.J. Brodie, rookie forward Matthew Tkachuk and forward Alex Chiasson scored for the Flames (10-13-1), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Flames goaltender Chad Johnson (38 saves) lost for just the third time this month.

The Flames are now 3-2-0 during a six-game road trip that ends Monday night in Brooklyn against the Islanders.

"It's the worst we played from the start all season," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I give them credit, too. They outworked us, they outplayed us, they were hungrier in all areas and they outpaced us. We're sitting where we should be on this road trip."

Stolarz, who is from Edison, N.J., about 60 miles northeast of Philadelphia, allowed his first NHL goal on just the second shot he faced 7:42 into the game, and it came with the Flyers on the power play.

On a short-handed rush, Flames center Mikael Backlund fed Brodie for a backhander that fluttered under Stolarz's catching glove for Brodie's first goal of the season. It was Calgary's league-leading fourth short-handed goal and the fifth short-handed goal allowed by the Flyers.

Stolarz settled down after that with 23 consecutive saves and the Flyers took over, scoring the next four goals.

"He made a key save in the second period when it was 2-1," said Voracek, referring to stop on defenseman Deryk Engelland. "It was good to see him get his first win."

Stolarz said he tried to put that first goal behind him quickly.

"I didn't want to give up that first goal, but it happens," he said. "I guess it was good to get it out of the way early. I calmed down a little bit and the jitters went away and I was just able to go out and play."

The Flyers tied the score 10 minutes after Brodie's goal when Voracek wheeled around the back of the net and fed Raffl in the crease for a backhander that beat Chad Johnson. The goal was Raffl's fourth of the season and first in five games.

Voracek gave the Flyers their first lead of the game with 52 seconds gone in the second period and Calgary rookie forward Matthew Tkachuk in the box for holding. Voracek was trying to hit Wayne Simmonds with a pass but the puck deflected off Flames defenseman Mark Giordano and over Johnson's right shoulder.

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Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) deflects the puck past Philadelphia Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz (41) during the third period at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers defeated the Flames, 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The goal was Voracek's eighth of the season and first on the power play, matching his power-play total from last season.

The Flyers turned up the heat on Johnson after Voracek's goal and grabbed a 4-1 lead on goals by VandeVelde and Simmonds just 24 seconds apart. VandeVelde parked himself in the slot and redirected a pass from Lyubimov past Johnson for his fourth goal of the season. Shortly after the ensuing faceoff, Simmonds broke away from the Calgary defense and put a backhander past Johnson for his team-high 11th goal.

"We knew they'd come out with a lot of energy," Giordano said. "The most disappointing part of tonight is we got out of the first and they came out in the second and scored a bunch of goals in a short amount of time.

"It's a disappointing loss, but we have back-to-back games and we've got to finish this trip off on the right note. If we win tomorrow (in New York) it's a 4-2 trip and that's a good trip."

The Flames drew within 4-2 with 8:05 gone in the final period on Tkachuk's sixth goal of the season, a deflection of Dougie Hamilton's shot, but Lyubimov restored the Flyers' three-goal lead with his fourth goal of the season off a Michael Del Zotto rebound.

Chiasson scored another short-handed goal for the Flames with 1:50 remaining to complete the scoring but it wasn't enough to satisfy Gulutzan.

"I was very disappointed with our guys after the first," he said. "I let them know that and it didn't get any better in the second. There's no system for being outworked."

NOTES: Flyers D Brandon Manning sat out with an undisclosed injury after being unable to complete Friday's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. He was replaced with Del Zotto. ... Flames RW Kris Versteeg returned to the lineup after missing 10 of the previous 11 games with a groin injury. ... Flames C Michael Frolik played in his 600th NHL game. Calgary G Chad Johnson made his NHL debut against the Flyers as a member of the New York Rangers on Dec. 30, 2009. ... The Flyers conclude their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. It will be their first meeting of the season.

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