Offensive Surge Continues With 5-1 Win Over Carolina

Report By Philadelphia Flyers

* Scott Laughton scored his first NHL goal at 7:29 of the second period… It was also his first career multi-point game.

* Sean Couturier extended his scoring streak to six games, which ties a career high… He has three goals and four assists for seven points in the stretch.

* Jake Voracek took over the NHL scoring lead with 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points… He is one point ahead of Tyler Seguin, with Dallas taking on New Jersey later tonight, and two points ahead of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with Pittsburgh visiting Columbus tonight.

* Voracek recorded six shots on goal, which is 26 percent of the team’s total of 23 shots for the game, as 15 of 18 skaters for the Flyers recorded at least one shot on goal in the game. No Flyer other than Voracek recorded more than two shots.

* Claude Giroux recorded a two-assist game to move into fifth place in the NHL scoring race. He has eight goals and 26 assists for 34 points on the year, one point ahead of Steven Stamkos.

* Giroux played 16:35, marking the first time this season he’s played fewer than 17 minutes – He leads all NHL forwards in average TOI at 21:38.

* Nick Schultz was plus-3 for the second consecutive game and the third game this season (also 10-22 at PIT). Prior to those three games, he hadn’t had a plus-3 game since November 3, 2011 (for MIN vs VAN).

* The Flyers blocked 24 Carolina shots… Luke Schenn led the way with six blocks.

* The Flyers have now won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak Nov. 4, 6 and 8, all at home.

GAME RECAP

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Flyers rookie Scott Laughton scored his first NHL goal as the Flyers defeated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 on Saturday.

Laughton also had an assist for his first multi-point NHL game. Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek also had a goal and an assist each, and Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl also scored. Steve Mason made 25 saves, including 11 in the third period, as the Flyers won their second straight game.

The five goals are tied for the most the Flyers have scored in regulation this season; they also had five goals in a 5-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 22. Their season high is six goals in a 6-5 overtime win at the Dallas Stars on Oct. 18.

Philadelphia also snapped a four-game losing streak against Carolina.

Eric Staal scored for the Hurricanes and Anton Khudobin allowed five goals on 23 shots. The Hurricanes lost their fifth straight game; they’ve scored one goal in each of those games.

Leading 2-1 early in the second period, Philadelphia took over with three goals in a 5:11 span.

The run started with a power-play goal by Voracek at 4:54. With the Flyers skating on the man-advantage, Claude Giroux sent the puck to Simmonds below the goal line next to the left post. He stepped out and sent the puck to Voracek, who scored from the right side for his 11th of the season.

Laughton scored at 7:29 to make it 4-1. Taking a pass from Brayden Schenn along the right side in the Carolina zone, Laughton stepped to the middle and flipped a shot past Khudobin’s blocker and off the left post.

The 20th pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, Laughton has one goal and three assists in 13 games since being recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Nov. 18.

Raffl’s goal at 10:05 made it 5-1. Giroux and Voracek worked a give-and-go with Giroux firing a shot from the high slot. Khudobin made the save, but Raffl was alone in front to score off the rebound for his eighth goal.

Carolina had cut their deficit to 2-1 at 2:06 of the second period. Staal picked up the puck on the rush, raced past Luke Schenn on the left side of the Philadelphia zone, went behind the net and scored on a wraparound for his seventh of the season.

The goal snapped the Hurricanes’ 0-for-14 streak on the power play. It also was the 100th power-play goal of Staal’s career; he’s one of 15 active players with at least that many.

Simmonds made the score 2-0 when he hammered a shot from the right circle at 11:27 of the first. Brayden Schenn carried the puck up the ice along the left side and sent a cross-ice pass too far for Simmonds. The puck bounced off the boards and Simmonds stepped into a one-timer that beat Khudobin past his blocker for Simmonds’ 13th goal of the season.

Couturier opened the scoring with a goal 53 seconds into the game. Matt Read tipped a pass from Khudobin and threw it in front to Couturier. Khudobin stopped his chance from in front and the puck went behind the net. Khudobin slid forward as he got up from his butterfly and Couturier was able to tuck the puck behind him.

The goal extended Couturier’s point streak to six games, tying the longest of his career, set during 2011-12, Couturier’s rookie season.