Tippett double leads Flyers to win over Edmonton

PHILADELPHIA –– The Flyers’ Owen Tippett hit for a double on Saturday afternoon as Philadelphia scored a 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.

“I think the [4 Nations Face-Off] break came at a good time for me,” Tippett said. “Obviously it [stinks] being out, but luckily it came at a good time and I’m happy to be back now.”

Samuel Ersson made 15 saves in the win.

Rasmus Ristolainen and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Flyers.

“Everybody chipped in,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “It was up and down for a little bit, but we didn’t panic, and they made some big plays at key times.”

The Flyers’ Matvei Michkov scored early in the first period to give them a 1-0 lead.

“Had a chance to recoup, had a good time out of hockey,” Michkov said through a translator. “Ready for the rest of the season. Needed that break.”

John Klingberg tied it at 1-1 with seven minutes gone in the first.

“I think what really cost us was the turnovers,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “We tried to make plays when there’s not a play to be made there, not being able to get the puck in deep. Four even-strength goals, all of them were just direct result of turnovers.

“… We left ‘Skins’ hung out to dry too many times, breakaways, 2-on-0s. Wasn’t a very good, sound effort by us defensively whatsoever.”

Leon Draisaitl scored two and half minutes later for a 2-1 lead to the Oilers, but Tippett hit for first of the game to tie the game,2-2, early in the middle frame.

The Flyers took a 3-2 lead on a strike by Sean Couturier with just over seven minutes gone in the second.

Just over a minute later, the Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm added a marker form a 3-3 tie.

Tippett restored the Flyers lead with a goal in the `13th minute of the second for a 4-3 advantage.

“As [defensemen], we didn’t deny the line enough,” Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “And we didn’t get back fast enough also. That combination, a team with skill is going to sting you.”

Kuzmenko scored late in the second to send the game to the third period with the Flyers up, 5-3.

Ristolainen hit an empty net for the 6-3 final count.

Stuart Skinner made 26 saves in the loss.