Sean Couturier netted the go-ahead goal early in the third period, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night.
Scott Laughton and Ryan Poehling also scored for the Flyers, who have won all three games since the All-Star break. Philadelphia had entered the break on a five-game losing streak.
Tomas Tatar and Jared McCann scored for the Kraken, playing their first game since Jan. 30 due to the All-Star break and the club’s bye week. Seattle had lost six of eight games entering the break. The Flyers limited the Kraken to just two shots in the third period and 19 for the game.
“I just like how we kept building in our game,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said.
Cal Petersen, making just his third start of the season, stopped 17 shots for the Flyers. Petersen took on the backup role to Sam Ersson after Carter Hart took an indefinite leave of absence on Jan. 23. Hart is one of five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team who have been charged with sexual assault in Ontario.
Couturier broke a 2-2 tie with 14:30 remaining by deflecting Travis Sanheim’s shot from the point past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, who finished with 35 saves.
“Just a simple play,” Couturier said. “Get pucks to the net. I got the bounce there. Good, big goal.”
McCann tied the game 36 seconds into the final period when his close-range shot deflected off Couturier’s stick and past Petersen’s glove.
“There were more plays to be had, especially in the first half of the hockey game,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “Little bit off in execution.”
Laughton, promoted to the power play on Saturday morning, gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead with a one-timed slap shot 4:36 into the contest. It was a rare power-play goal for the Flyers, who entered the game second-from-last in the NHL with a 13% conversion rate. The goal snapped an 11-opportunity streak without a power-play goal.
“Huge goal for us,” Tortorella said.
Seattle tied the game with 2:51 left in the period when Tatar fired a wrist shot from the slot past Petersen’s blocker side. Tortorella challenged the goal for potential offsides by the Kraken, but the officials upheld the goal after a video review.
The Flyers responded when Poehling scored Philadelphia’s 12th short-handed goal of the season for a 2-1 lead with 1:46 left in the period. Philadelphia entered the game tied with Dallas for most short-handed goals in the league. Poehling’s wrist shot from a sharp angle slid under Daccord’s pads.
“That’s a huge point in the hockey game,” Hakstol said. “That one is on us.”
Seattle played without defenseman Justin Schultz, who was absent for personal reasons, according to Hakstol.
Upcoming Games
- Kraken: At New Jersey on Monday night.
- Flyers: Host Arizona on Monday night.
