Flyers 4, Hurricanes 3 (OT)
PHILADELPHIA -- Goalie Michal Neuvirth and the Philadelphia Flyers did enough to cool off the Carolina Hurricanes for a 4-3 overtime win on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center.
Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere won it in the extra session off a beautiful feed from left winger Jakub Voracek.
Neuvirth, the NHL's save percentage leader (.939) coming in, kept Carolina at bay after the Hurricanes scored five goals in each of their previous four games.
Neuvirth's 29 saves and a three-goal second period from his offense helped lead the Flyers (13-12-6) past Carolina for the third time in as many games this season.
Left winger Jeff Skinner scored a hat trick to give him nine goals in the last six games, but the Hurricanes (12-14-5) couldn't find production from any other source.
With Philadelphia holding a 3-2 lead, Skinner scored his third goal midway through the final period to force overtime, but Gostisbehere's third OT winner of the season finished it.
Carolina goalie Eddie Lack made 27 saves in the loss.
Skinner put Carolina on the board at 1:56 with his seventh goal in the last six games. With a defenseman hanging on him, Skinner took the puck to the circle, stopped on a dime and laced a wrist shot in between the legs of Neuvirth to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.
Struggling winger Jakub Voracek, who was shifted from right wing to left prior to the game, had one go his way in the second period when a bouncing shot from defenseman Radko Gudas deflected off him in front for his second goal in 31 games. Last season, Voracek had 12 goals in his first 31 games.
Skinner netted his second of the game and 13th of the season to regain the Hurricanes' advantage 3:14 later. Skinner, battling in front, knocked a high rebound out of the air and in for a 2-1 lead.
Less than a minute later, Philadelphia got even again on a nice setup pass from left winger Michael Raffl and wrister by center Brayden Schenn.
The Flyers' big second period was capped by a fortunate bounce. Center Sean Couturier backhanded a shot off Lack's leg pad, which caromed off the stick of Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin and in with 3 1/2 minutes left in the stanza. The goal, which was credited to Couturier, gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead at second intermission.
Despite the three-goal second period, Philadelphia lost right winger Wayne Simmonds in the process as he was levied a 10-minute game misconduct for fighting and instigating.
NOTES: Hurricanes backup G Eddie Lack started for the third straight game. Starting G Cam Ward has not started since Dec. 8 when he was removed after yielding four goals on eight shots. ... Flyers G Michal Neuvirth earned his third consecutive start over G Steve Mason. Neuvirth came in with an NHL-leading .939 save percentage. ... LW Nathan Gerbe (lower body) remained out for the Hurricanes. Since suffering the injury on Nov. 22, Carolina said Gerbe would miss four to six weeks. ... D Luke Schenn (lower body), C Sam Gagner (upper body) and D Mark Streit (groin) were out of the Flyers' lineup. Schenn and Streit participated in the team's morning skate.