Filppula Scores Go-Ahead Goal, Flyers Beat Hurricanes 4-2
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Valterri Filppula scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:49 left, and the Philadelphia Flyers scored four times in the third period to beat the scuffling Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Saturday night.
Travis Konecny and Jakub Voracek also scored as the Flyers scored three times in a 5:52 span to rally for the win. Michael Raffl added an empty-netter and Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots.
Filppula's breakaway goal snapped a 2-2 tie and secured a needed victory for the Flyers, who entered on a 1-6-1 skid. Philadelphia moved back into third place in the Metropolitan Division, tied with Columbus but holding the tiebreaker.
Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal scored and Cam Ward made 23 saves for the Hurricanes, who have lost five of six.
Carolina suffered its second straight third-period collapse. They allowed five goals in the final 10 minutes to Boston on Tuesday night to blow a 4-1
lead, and gave up four goals in the final 12 minutes to the Flyers to blow leads of 1-0 and 2-1.
Carolina led 1-0 on Staal's first-period goal most of the game before a late outburst of scoring in the third. Konecny's deflection in front of the net tied it at 1-all with 11:49 left, but the Hurricanes quickly responded with a wrist shot by Slavin that put Carolina back on top with just under
10 minutes remaining.
It didn't last long.
Voracek slipped in uncovered to the Hurricanes crease, accepted a pass from the corner and stuffed a backhander in around Ward to make it 2-2 with 8:02 remaining. Filppula got behind the Hurricanes' defense, took a long pass from Wayne Simmonds, and finished his breakaway with a forehand wrister that got under Ward's blocker for the winner.
NOTES: The Flyers earned only their second regulation victory in their last 11 games. ... Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho each had an assist to extend their point streaks to four games for the Hurricanes. ... NHL hits leaders Robert Hagg (lower body injury) missed his fourth straight game for the Flyers. D Johnny Oduya (lower body injury) missed his sixth straight.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Hurricanes: At the New York Islanders on Sunday.
___
(Copyright 2018 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)