PHILADELPHIA BԪַ Carter Hart made 41 saves, Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek scored, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 on Monday night for their eighth straight victory.
The Flyers pulled within five points of a playoff spot after having the NHLBԪַs worst record on Jan. 9 BԪַ they were 14 points out of a post-season berth during the All-Star break just over a week ago. Philadelphia also became the first NHL expansion club to reach 2,000 victories.
"I'm getting chances but they're not going in for me. We played a good game tonight but their goaltender stood on his head." - Horvat
BԪַ Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
Hart, PhiladelphiaBԪַs 20-year-old rookie, won his seventh straight start with another solid game. His best stop came with 5 1/2 minutes left when he dived with his right arm to deny Nikolay Goldobin from a sharp angle on a power play, drawing BԪַCAR-TER! CAR-TER!BԪַ chants from the crowd.
Brock Boeser scored for Vancouver, which was playing the first of three games in four nights.
The game was delayed for several minutes midway through the third period after VancouverBԪַs Alexander Edler went down with a scary-looking injury. EdlerBԪַs skate got caught in VoracekBԪַs stick, causing Edler to land face-first on the ice. With a bloodied face and dazed look, a conscious Edler was wheeled off on a stretcher while sitting upright.
Edler has gone for x-rays on his face, said Coach Green. No further update.
BԪַ Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
Demko tweaked something in warm-up, DiPietro will meet us in Washington. Markstrom will start Tuesday.
Voracek scored on a breakaway 3:20 into the second period to put Philadelphia up 2-0. After Canucks defenceman Christopher Tanev whiffed on a pass at the blue line, PhiladelphiaBԪַs Phil Varone lifted a pass ahead to perfectly set up Voracek. The Flyers forward deked to his forehand and shot just past the outstretched right pad of Jacob Markstrom with a highlight-reel finish.
Vancouver got on the board 1:54 later after a rare mistake by Hart. Hart came way out of his crease to deny Brandon Sutter of a breakaway, but the goalieBԪַs clearing attempt went off the boards and right to Boeser, who fired into the vacated net for his 18th goal of the season and fourth in the last seven contests.
Couturier gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with 1:23 left in the first period with a wrist shot from the slot that went just under the glove of Markstrom. The power play tally was the seventh in the last nine opportunities for the Flyers, who scored four goals with the man-advantage in SaturdayBԪַs 5-4 overtime win over Edmonton.
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NOTES: Vancouver LW Sven Baertschi (illness) didnBԪַt play. BԪַ The teams ended the season series tied at 1. The Canucks beat the Flyers 5-1 on Dec. 15 in Vancouver in Dave HakstolBԪַs last game as Philadelphia coach. Hakstol was replaced by interim coach Scott Gordon. BԪַ PhiladelphiaBԪַs winning streak is its best since registering 10 in a row from Nov. 27-Dec. 14, 2016.
UP NEXT
Vancouver: At Washington Tuesday.
Philadelphia: Host Los Angeles Thursday.
Aaron Bracy, The Associated Press
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