Hart, Flyers Crush Canadiens 5-2, Enter All-Star Break On 3-Game Win Streak
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MONTREAL (AP) -- Nolan Patrick scored twice in the third period and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Saturday night to extend their winning streak to three games.
Travis Konecny and James van Riemsdyk also had goals and Michael Raffl scored an empty-netter, and Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists. Carter Hart stopped 33 shots while making his fifth consecutive start.
Max Domi and Brett Kulak scored for the Canadiens, whose season-best four-game winning streak was snapped.
It was the first of three meetings this season between the Canadiens and Flyers, who have now beaten Montreal in five straight games dating to the 2016-17 season.
The Canadiens dropped to 3-5-0 in the second game of a back-to-back series after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Friday night on the road. It was also the fourth game in six nights for Montreal, while the well-rested Flyers had not played since Wednesday.
But it was the Canadiens who came out flying, outshooting Philly 12-1 in the first period. Philadelphia's only shot was a clearing attempt, though Wayne Simmonds did hit the post.
Montreal was outshooting Philly 16-1 early in the second period, but that's when the Flyers got things started on the scoreboard by scoring twice in a 1:33 span.
Konecny broke the scoreless deadlock at 17:01 for his 12th goal of the season, cashing in a rebound after Antti Niemi made the save on Gostisbehere's initial shot. With an assist on the goal, Sean Couturier extended his points streak to six games.
Van Riemsdyk made it 2-0 at 18:34 when he deflected defenseman Robert Hagg's point shot past Niemi.
Patrick got his first goal at 7:06 of the third period on a 2-on-1 with Simmonds that put the Flyers up 3-0.
The Canadiens answered back just 30 seconds later when Domi sent a wrist shot off the post.
Patrick restored Philadelphia's three-goal lead with his second goal of the game at 9:32 with a shot in the roof of the net after a nifty dangle to avoid Brendan Gallagher's stick check.
Kulak got one back for the Canadiens with four minutes left, jumping on a loose puck in the slot for his third of the season before Raffl scored the empty-netter with 58 seconds left.
NOTES: Montreal's Paul Byron was serving the second game of his three-game suspension. ... Domi extended his points streak to four games. ... Philly snapped a six-game losing streak on the road.
UP NEXT
Flyers: vs. Winnipeg on Jan. 28.
Canadiens: vs. Arizona on Wednesday night.
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