They could have very easily gone quietly into the night at the end of regulation. They could have lost and remained seven points out of a wild card spot.
Instead, the Flyers fought back late in the third period to tie the game and then won it in overtime, 4-3, over Carolina on Brayden Schenn's 22nd goal of the season (see game story).
That stunning finish left Dave Hakstol's club five points out of the wild card with a four-game road trip starting Tuesday in Winnipeg.
"We couldn't let this one get away from us," said goalie Steve Mason, who had a 2-0 lead at one point and then trailed 3-2 late. "That would have been a devastating loss. We crawled back and found a way."
Sean Couturier had a hand in three of the four goals and was a plus-3. Rookie Travis Konecny tied the game with 43 seconds left in regulation, which gave the Flyers new life in which they capitalized upon as soon as overtime began.
From a morale standpoint, this was a shot of bourbon after the Flyers were listless and beaten down following a 6-2 loss in New Jersey on Thursday. If they lost this game, no way they could begin their four-game trip with any sign of positive thinking.
"Full credit to our guys for staying in it," said Dale Weise, who notched his second goal in three games. "We found a way to tie it up late there with a lucky goal. Those are the bounces you need to win hockey games."
Too many times this season the Flyers have won the game of statistics or intangibles -- shots, quality scoring chances and overall solid play -- only to lose the game because they could only squeeze out a goal or two.
"We need to get streaky here and make a push and see what happens," Couturier said. "We needed these two points."
They won in overtime on a rare Couturier-led rush with Schenn scoring off a rebound on goalie Cam Ward. Couturier began the play by beating Sebastian Aho on a defensive zone faceoff.
"That's a huge 3-on-3," Couturier said. "We got puck control and came out with speed. Provy [Ivan Provorov] hit me with speed and I tried to attack the forward and put the puck on net and Schenner jumped on that loose puck. This time of year, the situation we are in, we need to get some dirty wins."
Couturier's determined effort from the faceoff to the finish allowed for the game-winning goal.
"He plays strong," team captain Claude Giroux said. "He was flying out there. That last goal doesn't happen if he doesn't take it to the net like that. So it was a great play."
