Philly Sports Jabronis
Report From Philadelphia Flyers
* The Flyers won their seventh consecutive game over the Penguins and improved to 11-1-1 all-time at CONSOL Energy Center.
* The win snapped a nine-game road losing streak for the Flyers and gave them their first victory away from home since February 15. The Flyers haven’t lost 10 in a row on the road since Dec. 27, 1991 through Feb. 4, 1992 (0-8-2).
* Steve Mason picked up his second road victory of the season. His only other one came Dec. 6 at Los Angeles. Prior to tonight, Mason had more road shutouts this season (2) than he did wins (1).
* With 24 saves on 25 shots, Mason’s season save percentage improved one tick to .928. Mason is within striking distance of the best full-season save percentage for a Flyers goaltender since the NHL started tracking the stat in 1982. The current high is Roman Cechmanek’s .925 from 2002-03.
* Brayden Schenn recorded his ninth career two-goal game and fourth of this season.
* Jake Voracek recorded his 56th assist of the season to take over the league lead in that category, breaking a tie with Nicklas Backstrom. He is now tied for second overall in scoring at 77 points with John Tavares and Alex Ovechkin, three points behind Sidney Crosby, who reached 80 points with his goal tonight.
* Claude Giroux was 14-for 23 (61 pct) on faceoffs.
* Michael Raffl led the Flyers in both shots (6) and hits (6). The six shots are a career high.
GAME RECAP
PITTSBURGH — Brayden Schenn scored twice to help the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh (42-24-11) is tied with the New York Islanders for second in the Metropolitan Division and is seven points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, who trail the Boston Bruins by three points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Sidney Crosby’s 300th NHL goal opened the scoring.
After winning a faceoff back to defenseman Ian Cole at the point, Crosby positioned himself below the goal line as Cole sent a slap shot into traffic in front of Steve Mason. Forward Patric Hornqvist gathered Cole’s attempt and backhanded a pass to Crosby to the right of the net.
Crosby’s wrist shot gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 3:29 into the first period. It was his 26th goal this season. He has scored 31 of his 300 goals against Philadelphia, his most against any team.
The Flyers (31-29-17) have won each of their three games against the Penguins this season after winning four of their five games last season. Philadelphia is 13-2-1, including 11-1-1 in the regular season, at Consol Energy Center since it opened in 2010-11.
Philadelphia recorded 13 of the first period’s final 17 shots and Vincent Lecavalier took advantage by tying the game with his eighth goal of the season.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare whipped a shot off of Fleury’s pad that bounced to Lecavalier crossing in front of the crease with Penguins forward Nick Spaling. Lecavalier turned toward the net, as he drifted away from it, and sent a wrist shot past an outstretched Fleury with 2:46 remaining in the first.
Schenn scored on a wrist shot from the slot with 7:17 left in the second to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead.
With Penguins forward Steve Downie in the penalty box, Jakub Voracek sent a pass past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s right pad and to Schenn outside of the crease. Schenn redirected Voracek’s pass behind Fleury, 49 seconds into the third period for Philadelphia’s third goal and a two-goal lead.
Flyers defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, who returned after missing one game with the flu, extended the lead to 4-1 with his first goal of the season, 5:34 into the third.
The Penguins played without forward Evgeni Malkin, who was out with an undisclosed injury. Malkin returned after missing six games because of a lower-body injury against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, when he recorded two assists in a 3-2 Pittsburgh victory and also played Sunday against the San Jose Sharks.
