Flyers lose fifth game in a row to the Bruins 6-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — David Pastrňák had two goals and an assist, James van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist and the Boston Bruins routed the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 on Saturday in the final game for both teams before the NHL All-Star break.
Charlie McAvoy, Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle also scored for Boston, which has won seven of eight. The Atlantic Division-leading Bruins entered play tied with Vancouver for the most points in the NHL. They now have 71. Linus Ullmark made 35 saves, and Pavel Zacha added two assists for Boston.
Tyson Foerster scored both goals for Philadelphia, which lost its fifth game in a row.
Owen Tippett (lower body) missed his fourth straight game one day after signing an 8-year, $49.6 million extension. The Flyers also were without goalie Carter Hart, who took an indefinite leave of absence from the team on Tuesday. Sam Ersson was pulled Saturday after allowing four goals on 14 shots in the first period. Cal Petersen replaced him to start the second period and made 12 saves.
Pastrnak, who will play in his fourth All-Star Game, continued his dominance of the Flyers. He has 11 goals and six assists during a seven-game point streak against Philadelphia and 42 points in 29 career games versus the Flyers.
The game was scoreless until Pastrnak converted on a wrist shot with 5:51 left in the first, starting a flurry of four goals in 4:14. McAvoy netted his seventh 1:37 later from the side of the crease after a cross-ice setup from Zacha.
Heinen made it 3-0 when he scored on a deflection of Brandon Carlo's shot from long range. Officials confirmed the goal after a video review showed that Heinen did not play the puck with a high stick. Pastrnak recorded his second of the contest and team-leading 33rd goal with 1:37 left from in front to make it 4-0.
The Bruins continued where they left off in the first period after the intermission when van Riemsdyk scored 1:15 into the second on an assist from Pastrnak's pass from behind the net to make it a five-goal lead. The assist upped Pastrank's team-best points total to 72.
Foerster got Philadelphia on the board with his first of the game with 4:37 left in the period when his wrist shot from close range went through the pads of Ullmark. He notched his second with 8:32 to play.
Joining Pastrnak at the All-Star Game will be Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, who will make his first appearance after going 16-3-7 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 27 games. Travis Konecny, who leads Philadelphia in goals (22) and points (42), will represent the Flyers in his second appearance.
Before the game, the Flyers inducted Mark Recchi into the club's Hall of Fame. Recchi, who had 1,533 points in 1,652 career games, played 10 of his 22 seasons with the Flyers. Recchi holds Philadelphia's single-season scoring record, set in 1992-93 when he recorded 123 points.
UP NEXT
Bruins: Host Calgary on Feb. 6.
Flyers: At Florida on Feb. 6.