Flyers edge Habs in shootout after scoreless game

[February 27, 2018]  Philadelphia goaltender Petr Mrazek stopped all 28 shots he faced through regulation and overtime, and Sean Couturier scored in the bottom of the sixth round of a shootout to give the visiting Flyers a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.

Couturier beat Lindgren on the blocker side with the score tied 1-1 after Paul Byron and Jakub Voracek scored in the shootout session.

Mrazek recorded his first shutout for the Flyers and won his third straight game with Philadelphia since being acquired from the Detroit Red Wings a week ago.

Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for Montreal in his first start since Nov. 21.

The win propelled the Flyers into first place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Washington Capitals, who lost Monday in Columbus.

The victory was the seventh straight road win for the Flyers, marking the third time the club has done that in franchise history. Philadelphia captured its sixth straight victory overall. It was the 12th straight game in which the Flyers earned at least one point, a stretch in which they are 10-0-2.

Neither team generated much offense in a first period that saw the Flyers control most of the offensive play, outshooting the Canadiens 10-3.

Mrazek made a strong save on Paul Byron at 17:33 of the second period to keep the game scoreless when the left winger nearly cashed in on a give-and-go play with Phillip Danault.

 

Flyers players celebrate after defeating the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

The Czech goalie sprawled across the crease and made a stick save as Byron's shot nearly slipped by him in the period's best scoring chance.

The Capitals took their sixth loss in the last nine games with a 5-1 drubbing in Columbus, giving the Flyers the chance to climb into the division's top spot.

Earlier in the day, Philadelphia claimed veteran defenseman Johnny Oduya off waivers from the Ottawa Senators, though he was scratched Monday night. Oduya, 36, was a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.

Montreal was playing without veteran center Tomas Plekanec, who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.

Also, the Canadiens dealt defenseman Joe Morrow to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday as the 3 p.m. trade deadline neared.

--Field Level Media

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