Ivan Provorov Leads Feisty Flyers To 6-4 Win Over Islanders
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ivan Provorov had two goals and an assist, and Sean Couturier had a goal, an assist and participated in one of several fights for the Philadelphia Flyers in a feisty 6-4 victory over the slumping New York Islanders on Thursday night.
Travis Konecny energized his teammates with a first-period scrap, then scored to cap a four-goal second. Wayne Simmonds and Michael Raffl also scored for the Flyers, who overcame a poor third period for their second win in six games.
Brian Elliott made 27 saves in his 15th straight start, two nights after an ugly loss left general manager Ron Hextall searching for a spark.
Cal Clutterbuck scored twice, and John Tavares and Ryan Pulock added third-period goals for the Islanders in their season-high fourth straight loss. Thomas Greiss allowed five goals on 31 shots but got little help from a defense that continues to struggle without injured Johnny Boychuk.
Raffl's redirect of Provorov's shot at 1:36 of the second period put the Flyers up 2-1. Simmonds scored 40 seconds later and Provorov added his sixth during a four-minute power play after Tanner Fritz's high stick to the face of Andrew MacDonald drew blood.
Konecny made it 5-2 with his fifth goal on a breakaway against a helpless Greiss, who has allowed five or more goals seven times this season.
Coming off a listless 5-1 loss Tuesday night to Pittsburgh, Hextall recalled bruising forward Tyrell Goulbourne from the minors to provide what he called "needed energy." But the East Coast snowstorm that thinned the crowd Thursday also stranded Goulbourne in Toronto, putting his NHL debut on hold.
The 20-year-old Konecny, recently elevated to the top line, picked up the slack. He threw Shane Prince to the ice in a fight that drew cheers from the bench in a dominant first period. The Flyers raced to an 8-2 edge in shots and a 1-0 lead when Couturier redirected Jakub Voracek's shot at 8:38 for his 19th goal.
The Flyers gave it back when Clutterbuck's deflection of Nick Leddy's slap shot gave him his 200th point at 15:37 of the first.
The Islanders were overwhelmed in a sloppy second period. Tavares' 22nd goal and Pulock's third with 5:25 left were not enough.
Couturier tangled with Josh Bailey 15 seconds after Pulock's goal to complete his Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, assist and a fight). Provorov's empty-netter following a line brawl put it away as the Flyers earned their first win over the Islanders in three tries this season.
NOTES: Boychuk (lower body) didn't respond well after practicing Wednesday and didn't travel on the two-game trip. He's missed four straight games. . Voracek got his 39th assist, moving past Bailey for the NHL lead. . Flyers C Nolan Patrick, the struggling No. 2 pick in last year's draft, got his eighth point with an assist on Provorov's goal. . Islanders D Scott Mayfield agreed to a five-year extension through the 2023-24 season, calling it a "vote of confidence" by the team.
UP NEXT
Islanders: Home vs. Pittsburgh on Friday night.
Flyers: Home vs. St. Louis on Saturday.
