PHILADELPHIA – AN old nemesis of the Flyers returned to Philadelphia on Thursday night.
Phil Kessel returned with the Arizona Coyotes and struck for two goals in a 3-1 win over the Flyers.
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes
“Feels good, right?” Kessel said. “We’ve got a long way to go, we’ve got to keep improving, and hopefully we can be there at the end of the year.”
Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves to get the win.
“[Kuemper] was the game tonight,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “He was outstanding. Flyers were all over us at times, and he was outstanding.”
Matt Niskanen scored the lone Flyers goal.
“We get a 10 for effort, worked extremely hard, had the puck most of the night, most of the night in their end,” Philadelphia coach Alain Vigneault said. “We get a seven for execution. We’re making plays, maybe not getting on the inside. We got some real good looks, but we didn’t execute.”
The loss ended a five-game win streak for Philadelphia.
“He’s (Kessel) missed the net more than I’ve seen him,” Tocchet said. “He’s passed the puck well, given some guys some Grade A (scoring chances). He was banged up for a stretch injury-wise that he was playing through. We get him healthy and skating, it’s better to have the record we have and him struggling … he’ll turn it around for us.”
Conor Garland also scored for the Coyotes.
“A win’s a win, we’re in first place, I’m happy,” Tocchet said. “I’m not sure we can play that way and be a first-place team or hang around. We hung in there, couple guys made some good plays when they had to. Bottom line, [goalie Darcy Kuemper] was outstanding.”
[WATCH: All Coyotes vs. Flyers highlights]
Brian Elliott made 15 saves in the loss.
“I think we need to take the positives out of that one and move on,” Elliott said. “You’re not going to win them all in this league, and there are going to be games that you deserve to win and you don’t, and you have to regroup and come back the next day.”
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes sprawls out and covers the puck from players from the Philadelphia Flyers
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes covers the puck from the pursuing Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Ilya Lyubushkin #46, Goalie Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes and Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Sean Couturier #14 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes battle for the puck in front of Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes makes a blocker save.
Matt Niskanen #15 of the Philadelphia Flyersis checked off the puck by Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes
Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes battles with Oskar Lindblom #23 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Phil Kessel #81 of the Arizona Coyotes scores by slipping the puck underneath Brian Elliott #37 of the Philadelphia Flyers.
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