Sean Couturier's shootout goal lifts Flyers past Penguins 4-3
Sean Couturier scored the lone goal in the shootout and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Saturday night.
Samuel Ersson stopped Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust in the shootout to give the Flyers the extra point, after Guentzel forced overtime with 21 seconds left. Tristan Jarry stopped Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny.
Foerster scored his fourth of the year in regulation and also continued a three-game point streak with an assist. Owen Tippett scored his eighth and Scott Laughton scored a short-handed goal.
Ersson made 29 saves for the Flyers, who ended a two-game losing streak. Philadelphia has won two of its last six games following a five-game win streak.
Guentzel scored twice in regulation and Kris Letang added his second for the Penguins, who extended a four-game point streak but have lost four of six games overall.
Pittsburgh played without Matt Nieto and Noel Acciari, a pair of bottom-six forwards who were out with lower-body injuries.
Jarry stopped 31 shots. He became the 14th goaltender in NHL history — and first in franchise history — to score a goal Thursday at Tampa Bay.
Last season, Pittsburgh swept the season series against Philadelphia for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Philadelphia has five wins in its last 14 games against the Penguins.
The two teams meet again on Monday in Philadelphia.
Guentzel scored with 20.6 seconds left in the third period to force overtime. Rust redirected an Evgeni Malkin pass to Guentzel, who put his ninth of the season behind Ersson near the post.
Guentzel, who tied Martin Straka for 11th most points in franchise history with 442, has points in 16 of his last 18 games total, including five straight. He has 41 points in 33 career games against Philadelphia.
Foerster initially gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal at 13:52 of the third period. Pittsburgh was on an earlier power play and Konecny drew an interference penalty on Erik Karlsson that led to Foerster's goal with the man advantage.
Guentzel gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead at 1:50 of the third period. Laughton tied the game at 7:01 of the third with a short-handed goal. Laughton beat Malkin to a loose puck following a Flyers' clear and he slipped a shot underneath Jarry's arm with 1 second left on the penalty.
Letang opened the scoring for Pittsburgh at 14:31 of the second period. Letang's 50 points against Philadelphia ranks first for active players and ninth in NHL history among defensemen.
Tippett tied the game at 16:47 of the second period with a breakaway goal.
UP NEXT
The Penguins and Flyers continue their home-and-home series on Monday at Philadelphia.
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