Voracek’s two late goals rally Flyers past Canadiens in overtime
Jakub Voracek scored the tying goal with 1:25 left in regulation and then got the gamewinner 1:26 into overtime to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
Voracek also had an assist and Nolan Patrick had the other goal for Philadelphia, which improved to 7-0-2 in its last nine games. The Flyers, third in the Metropolitan Division, pulled two points behind second-place Pittsburgh and three behind first-place Washington.
Paul Byron and Jeff Petry scored for Montreal, which lost its sixth straight. The Canadiens’ NHL-worst road record fell to 8-19-2.
With Philadelphia goalie Alex Lyon pulled for an extra attacker, Voracek sent the game to overtime with a slap shot from the point that deflected off Montreal’s Max Pacioretty and through goalie Carey Price’s five-hole.
Voracek netted the gamewinner when he skated to the slot and fired a wrist shot past Price’s glove side.
The Flyers were without forward
Wayne Simmonds, who will be out for 2-to-3 weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in Sunday’s win over the New York Rangers.
Simmonds joins a growing list of injured Flyers. Starting goalie Brian Elliott had surgery Feb. 13 for a core muscle injury and is expected to miss up to five more weeks. Backup Michal Neuvirth, who was elevated to No. 1 last Tuesday after Elliott’s
injury, will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks after suffering a lower body injury in Sunday’s game.
Philadelphia acquired goalie Petr Mrazek from Detroit on Monday night for a pair of draft picks to fill the void. Mrazek backed up Lyon on Tuesday. Lyon, appearing in his fifth career game, made 25 saves for his second victory.
Price played in his 552nd game for the Canadiens to move
past Patrick Roy for second alltime in games played among Montreal goalies. Jacques Plante tops the list with 556.
Byron scored his 14th of the season after a pretty assist from Tomas Plekanec with 11:15 left in the third period to put Montreal up 2-1.
Petry opened the scoring with 2:13 left in the first period when he deflected Karl Alzner’s shot from the point past Lyon.