Anaheim finally gets on the board
His goal in the third period breaks tie, ruins Philadelphia’s home opener.
DUCKS 3, PHILADELPHIA 2
Garbutt breaks thirdperiod tie, Ducks win after 0-3-1 start.
DUCKS 3 PHILADELPHIA 2
PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers wanted their Big 5-0 bash to end in celebration.
The Ducks had more fun crashing the party.
Ryan Garbutt’s goal broke a tie in the third period and sent the Ducks to their first win of the season, 3-2, over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
The Ducks opened 0-3-1 and had failed to score more than two goals in any of those games. But Chris Wagner and Corey Perry also scored to help the Ducks spoil Philadelphia’s home opener.
“About time we won a hockey game, that’s for sure,” Coach Randy Carlyle said.
Korbinian Holzer’s angled pass from behind the net led to Garbutt’s onetimer that stunned Steve Mason for the winner.
“That was a great pass from Holzer. One of the best plays I’ve seen from a D man from behind the net,” Garbutt said. “It was fun to be on the other end of it.”
Wayne Simmonds and Matt Read scored for the Flyers, who have lost all three games since winning on opening night and dropped to 27-16-6 lifetime in home openers.
“We’re in a little bit of a hole here but it’s the beginning of the year. No need to panic,” Simmonds said.
John Gibson stopped 20 shots for the Ducks.
The Flyers opened their 50th anniversary celebration with a tribute to their founder and owner Ed Snider, who died of cancer in April.
Snider’s banner was sandwiched between the one celebrating the 1975 Stanley Cup championship and one for Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke, widely considered the greatest Flyer.
As for the game, Wagner scored the only goal of the first and the Flyers failed to convert on late power plays that let them get booed off the ice headed into intermission.
Simmonds scored his third goal of the season and Read followed with his surprising fourth in the second to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 lead.
Simmonds’ goal came on the power play, but the Flyers missed on six other attempts through two periods.
“They blocked shots. They cleared pucks,” Perry said.
“They did everything they were asked to do. When you’re killing penalties that’s what you have to do.”
Perry did his part too. He tied the game 2-all with 3 minute 18 seconds left in the second to match the Ducks’ highest goal total for a game this season.