Flyers Erupt Late for 5 Goals, Another Win and Are the NHL's Best Since Nov. 1

[CSNPhilly] Joel Farabee brings it, Carter Hart the No. 1 development, more on Flyers' preseason shootout loss to Rangers
CSNPhilly.com

BOX SCORE

After an NHL-best November, the Flyers picked up their season-best fifth straight win to kick off December with a 6-1 decision Tuesday night over the Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers turned a defensive game into a laugher with five goals over the final 10 minutes of regulation. Claude Giroux scored the game-winner midway through the final frame before Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Shayne Gostisbehere and James van Riemsdyk followed suit.

The Flyers (16-7-5) have allowed only 1.60 goals per game during their winning streak. Since Nov. 1, they are 11-2-4 with 26 points and a plus-15 goal differential. No NHL team has more points over that stretch.

The Maple Leafs (13-12-4), a top-10 goal-scoring club, had won four of their previous five games since firing head coach Mike Babcock.

• Great response from the Flyers after Carter Hart allowed a flukey game-tying goal in the third period.

Philadelphia Flyers

Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Flyers and their rivals in the NHL from NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Wayne Simmonds announces retirement, Flyers to honor him April 13

Flyers give up 6 more goals, drop to 0-2-0 in challenging 7-game stretch

Philippe Myers and Konecny made great plays to set up Giroux's goal. The floodgates then opened.

Konecny has 17 assists and will shatter his career high of 25 set last season. Myers added another assist to spring Konecny as the Flyers put the game on ice with a 3-1 lead that ballooned even more.

• Hart, who went 6-2-2 with a 1.94 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in November, converted 27 stops.

Hart delivered a huge first period in which he made 15 saves as the Maple Leafs looked faster and more dangerous.

Amazing what consistent goaltending can do for a team. The Flyers have gotten it from Hart and Brian Elliott thus far.

• Fourth-line center Michael Raffl was not on the bench during the third period, playing just six minutes overall. There was no immediate word on his absence and it's unclear when/if he sustained an injury.

The 31-year-old is one of the Flyers' better puck possession and penalty kill forwards.

• More and more, Kevin Hayes is starting to show how he can dominate a shift with his size.

The big-bodied puck protection is an area in which the 6-foot-5 center excels and he put it on display to create the game-opening goal in the second period.

Scott Laughton, who finished the play, has three goals in the last four games.

The Flyers are 9-2-1 when Hayes records a point. He has seven points (four goals, three assists) and a plus-5 rating over the past eight games.

• Competition is hot between Myers, Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg, who are in a rotation for playing time.

Myers was excellent with three assists and a plus-3 mark.

Gostisbehere was as noticeable and active as he's been this season. His elusiveness drew a penalty during the second period, giving the Flyers their first power play opportunity. The Flyers went on the man advantage again not long after as they controlled the final eight minutes of the middle stanza while holding a 1-0 lead.

If Gostisbehere (one goal, one assist, plus-3) can make that type of impact consistently, he'll take himself out of that rotation. The same goes for Myers.

• The Flyers continue their three-game homestand Thursday when they host the Coyotes (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.

More on the Flyers

Copyright C
Contact Us