The Comeback Kids could not finish the job, as Jiri Tlusty’s seventh goal of the season at 13:50 of the third period was the game-winner. Tlusty took a big rebound and deposited the goal passed Flyers goaltender Steve Mason. Carolina held on to beat the Flyers 3-2 Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Alexander Semin and Nathan Gerbe recorded Carolina’s goals. Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty assisted Semin’s goal. Hurricane netminder Anton Khudobin was strong in net, as he turned away 22/24 shots. Carolina had lost three of their previous four before beating Philadelphia.
Claude Giroux started the scoring for the Flyers, as he banked home a rebound at the end of the second period. Jakub Voracek and Michael Raffl got the assists. Scott Hartnell also scored for the Flyers, his twelfth goal of the season, a power play goal. Wayne Simmonds recorded the primary assist with Giroux getting the secondary assist as he made the play happen. Steve Mason was solid in net for the Flyers, stopping 29/32 Carolina shots. The Flyers have now lost two straight and travel to Columbus tomorrow night.
Snowstorm Janus may have postponed the Flyers game for one day, but it took longer than that for the Flyers to start playing.
The Flyers came out flat against a Hurricane’s team that had been cold as of late. Carolina came out flying, getting the first five shots on goal and did not allow a Philadelphia shot until almost eight minutes into the game.
Carolina’s enigmatic star, Alexander Semin, netted his tenth goal of the season as he brought the puck in along the right boards and fired a wrist shot that beat Flyers goaltender Steve Mason glove side.
The first period continued to be all Carolina, as the Flyers had to kill off two penalties and costly turnovers in their own zone to limit the damage to just one goal.
After an uninspired first period, the Flyers continued to play without passion, allowing the Hurricanes to jump to a two-goal lead.
Luke Schenn turned the puck over at the blue line to Canes forward Nathan Gerbe, who then made a beautiful between the legs flip shot over the glove of Mason with 7:24 remaining in the second period.
The Flyers lack of push continued until the 19:25 mark, as Claude Giroux potted his 14th of the season to bring the Flyers back within one goal.
Giroux started the play below the goal crease and found Jakub Voracek, who flubbed a shot through the defense. The Flyers captain then skated behind the net, retrieved the puck, and banked it off Hurricane netminder Anton Khudobin for the goal.
The Flyers came out energized to start the third period, as they took a Carolina penalty and turned that into the game equalizer on the power play.
Giroux took the puck near the corner and attempted to feed Wayne Simmonds in front of the net. Simmonds could not get a good shot attempt as the puck bounced back to Scott Harnett, who then pumped the shot passed Carolina’s netminder to tie the game with 17 minutes remaining in the game.
It was all downhill for the Flyers, as Carolina ramped up their game and had Philadelphia on their heels. The end for Philadelphia came when Tlusty snared a rebound from Andrej Sekera’s shot, and beat Mason high.
The Flyers put pressure on late with the goalie pulled, but were unable to get a good shot on net, as Carolina escaped Philadelphia with the victory.
Game Notes: The Flyers were outshot 32-24. . .The Philadelphia were 1-2 on the Power Play. . .Carolina was 0-2 on the Power Play. . .Brayden Coburn led the Flyers in time on ice with 22:50
