Simmonds Late Goal Lifts Flyers Over Oilers

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Late in games, the puck just seems to find Wayne Simmonds.

Simmonds entered Saturday's game, the eighth of the season for the Flyers, with the game-winning goal in three of the Flyers four wins on the season.

The puck found him again with 2:15 to play in the third against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, and Simmonds didn't miss, scoring the goal that gave the Flyers the 2-1 win at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers got an early power play chance three minutes into the game and took advantage. Jake Voracek saucered a nice pass to Shayne Gostisbehere. Gostisbehere fired and his shot was redirected by Wayne Simmonds right to Claude Giroux with a wide open net. Giroux didn't miss, scoring his fifth goal of the season.

That was the only scoring of the first, as the Flyers had a 9-7 shots advantage through 20 minutes and spent a good amount of the period generating chances in the Edmonton zone.

The play in the second period started out fast for both teams, but eventually Edmonton's speed took over.

The Flyers did survive a pair of abbreviated Oilers power plays midway through the period, but it wasn't enough to hold them off the board.

A great individual effort by Patrick Maroon saw him win a puck battle against Nolan Patrick, come back to the front of the face-off circle and throw a low shot on goal that beat Brian Elliott to tie the game at 15:37 of the second. It was Maroon's second goal of the season.

The third period featured limited stoppages and a premium on shots. Space near the front of the net was tight and limited, as both teams tried to find a way to score the go-ahead goal.

The Oilers had their chance with a power play. With some good penalty kill work and a key blocked shot that hobbled Andrew MacDonald, the Flyers were able to kill it off to keep the game tied.

For the Flyers, their chance finally came for the Flyers with 2:15 to go in the third.

Jori Lehtera left the puck at the line for Valtteri Filppula. Filppula skated to the net and drew the Edmonton defenders and got the puck to Simmonds, who buried it to give the Flyers the lead with his sixth goal of the season.

The Flyers held off the Oilers the rest of the way to claim the win, their third in the four games on home ice so far in the five-game homestand.

Elliott picked up his fourth win of the season, making 23 saves on 24 shots. Cam Talbot stopped 22 of the Flyers 24 shots.

The Flyers wrap up the homestand on Tuesday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Claude Giroux (5) PP (Wayne Simmonds, Shayne Gostisbehere) 3:36

2nd Period

• EDM Patrick Maroon (2) (Unassisted) 15:37

3rd Period

• PHI Simmonds (6) (Valtteri Filppula, Jori Lehtera) 17:45

Game Statistics