Flyers Postgame Report: Flyers Hold Off Penguins, Go Into Break with Win

Entering Saturday on a five-game losing streak, a break is certainly needed for the Flyers. Before having two weeks off, they were able to go into the 4 Nations Face-off on a positive note with two of their representatives making an impact.

Travis Konecny scored the eventual game-winning goal and Sam Ersson made 32 saves in a 3-2 win over the shorthanded Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers opened the scoring on the first shot of the game. Scott Laughton took a lead pass from Konecny and went to the backhand and through the five-hole for his 11th goal of the season at 1:44. Andrei Kuzmenko got the secondary assist for his first point as a Flyer.

The Penguins controlled play from there, out-shooting the Flyers, 10-2, in the opening period.

The Penguins got the game tied at one at 4:19 of the second. Erik Karlsson fired a shot from an angle that beat Ersson for his sixth goal of the season.

The Flyers got the lead back at 12:26. The puck was cleared out and led to a footrace with Garnet Hathaway leading the way. Joel Blomqvist came out of his net to try to clear it and shot it off of Hathaway and the puck went into the open net. It was Hathaway’s eighth goal of the season.

Through two periods, shots were 21-9 Pittsburgh.

The Flyers extended the lead on a delayed penalty call at 4:27 of the third. Konecny got the goal, his 22nd of the season, to make it a 3-1 game. But the Penguins answered right back at 5:42, as Kevin Hayes was able to find a loose puck in the crease and tuck it home for his 10th of the season. The goal was originally disallowed, but overturned after a review.

That was as close as the Penguins would get, as the Flyers held off the late push with Ersson making 32 saves on 34 shots. Blomqvist made 17 saves on 20 shots in the loss.

Konecny had two points for the Flyers.

The Flyers head into the 4 Nations Face-off break with a 24-26-7 record. They return in two weeks, taking on the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Scott Laughton (11) (Travis Konecny, Andrei Kuzmenko) 1:44

2nd Period

• PIT Erik Karlsson (6) (Matt Grzelcyk, Rickard Rakell) 4:19
• PHI Garnet Hathaway (8) (Unassisted) 12:26

3rd Period

• PHI Konecny (22) (Cam York, Travis Sanheim) 4:27
• PIT Kevin Hayes (10) (Danton Heinen, Anthony Beauvillier) 5:42

Game Statistics