Hurricanes defeat Flyers, 4-3, in shootout

PHILADELPHIA — The Carolina Hurricanes defeated/fell to the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-3, on Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The win is the Hurricanes’ third straight and puts them in sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Division.

After allowing two early first period goals, the Canes stormed back to tie the game in the second. Both teams found the back of the net in the third period 20 seconds apart to send the game to overtime, where neither team could capitalize. In the shootout, That’s where Jackson Blake secured the win with the shootout winner.

Andrei Svechnikov found a wide open Seth Jarvis on the blue line, who missed wide on the breakaway just a minute into the first period.

It didn’t take long for Philadelphia to capitalize on its own opportunity though. A little over 10 minutes into the first, Trevor Zegras delivered a drop pass to Bobby Brink near the blue line, who found the back of the net on a glove-side shot from the top of the circles to give the Flyers an early 1-0 lead.

With just over two minutes left in the period, Philadelphia’s top duo connected. Travis Konecny whipped a cross-crease backhand pass to a cutting Zegras from behind the net, and the Flyers’ leading goal scorer tucked his 12th of the season.

Carolina was outshot 7-5 in the first, including the two goals allowed.

Both teams traded chances to open the second, with the Canes ramping up their offensive pressure.

That pressure paid off when Nikolaj Ehlers fired a pin-point, low glove-side shot from the right circle on a pass from Shayne Gostisbehere to cut the deficit to 2-1 nine minutes in. Gostisbehere intercepted a pass in the neutral zone to jump start the play, helping turn neutral zone possession into offense.

Momentum stayed on Carolina’s side when, five minutes later, Alexander Nikishin fired a slap shot from the point that found the back of the net to knot the game up 2-2. The shot deflected off the foot of Flyers forward Noah Cates.

Philadelphia still tallied more shots than the Canes after two periods, with a 16-13 advantage.

Neither team could find a consistent offensive rhythm in the beginning of the third period.

A little over 12 minutes into the period, Jarvis split the Flyers defense and Svechnikov found him for a breakaway. This time, Jarvis made no mistake on the finish to give Carolina a one-goal advantage.

But the Flyers responded 20 seconds later when Carl Grundstrom ripped a shot past Pyotr Kochetkov to tie the game at 3-3.

With the Canes nor the Flyers breaking the tie, the game went to overtime. Both teams had good chances, but didn’t score, sending Carolina to its second straight shootout.

That’s where Blake proved to be the hero for the Canes with the shootout winner.

The Canes host the Flyers tomorrow in the Lenovo Center at 5 PM, looking to sweep the weekend series.