PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers ended their 10-game losing skid on Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders.
Ivan Provorov #9 of the Philadelphia Flyers battle Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders for position in front of the Philadelphia Flyers goal/
Carter Hart made 23 saves for the Flyers win.
Philadelphia improved to 8-10-5.
The Islanders took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a power play goal from Noah Dobson. The Isles were skating on a two-man advantage for the lead.
“We talked about it before we played them,” New York coach Lane Lambert said. “They’re a structured team, take away time and space, and we didn’t do enough to create opportunities for ourselves.”
The Flyers’ special teams replied with a shorthanded goal from Travis Sanheim in the opening frame for a 1-1 tie.
“His goal was huge,” Flyers forward Nicolas Deslauriers said. “You don’t always think you’re going to score on the penalty kill. We’ve been struggling lately on killing the [first] 1:50 and then the last 10 seconds, that’s when they bite us. … We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals, but getting it on the PK kind of boosts us up.”
The Islanders dropped to 15-9-0.
“I just don’t think we generated enough,” Islanders forward Matt Martin said. “Struggled to break out, struggled to sustain pressure and struggled to hold onto the puck. I don’t love our chances when you struggle in all those areas.”
Kevin Hayes, who hit for a double in the win, scored near the midway point of the first for a 2+-1 lead to the Flyers.
“It’s no fun when you’re losing every night, but I do think that there’s games that we deserved to win in that streak and there’s definitely games we deserved to lose,” Hayes said. “Tonight, I think everyone gave a full 60 (minute) effort right from the first face-off, and I think everyone’s pretty happy that we won and ended it.”
Hayes added an empty-net goal late in the third period for the 3-1 final
“That’s one of our more complete games,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “We talked about between the second and third in the coach’s room that we need to finish a game now. We make it harder on ourselves with undisciplined penalties toward the end, but we have a really great penalty kill there, Carter makes a couple of big saves, and we find our way. … That’s a really good stepping stone for us in understanding how to finish games.
“Are all our problems solved? Absolutely not. But I’m glad for them because they have played hard and they have not been rewarded. You have to do more to win in this league. We did tonight.”
Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves in the New York loss.
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders watches the puck sail high over the goal.
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders makes a pad save against Kevin Hayes #13 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Zack MacEwen #17 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Goalie Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders
Kieffer Bellows #20 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders
Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders attempts to screen Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers. Rasmus Ristolainen #55 and Ivan Provorov #9 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Sebastian Aho #25 of the New York Islanders
Nicolas Deslauriers #44 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Ross Johnston #32 of the New York Islanders earn 5 minutes for fighting 8 second into the first period.
Zack MacEwen #17 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Matt Martin #17 of the New York Islanders drop the gloves 7 seconds into the game.
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