Flyers 4, Wild 3 (OT)
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Philadelphia defenseman Michael Del Zotto scored his second goal of the game at the 4:23 mark of overtime to lift the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota left winger Zach Parise scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season, and fourth in two games, lifting the Wild to a 3-3 tie at 13:36 of the third period to send the game to overtime.
The Flyers led 3-2 after two periods on goals by Del Zotto and center Ryan White 52 seconds apart midway through the second period to break open a tie game.
With the game knotted at 1-1 approaching the halfway point, Del Zotto picked up the puck in his own end and rushed through the neutral zone unscathed before initiating a give-and-go with center Brayden Schenn as he crossed the Minnesota blue line. With Wild defenseman Matt Dumba draped over him near the top of the crease, Del Zotto redirected Schenn's return pass behind Dubnyk at 9:02.
Less than a minute later, Dubnyk poke checked Flyers right winger Chris VandeVelde's attempt, but it went right to uncovered Philadelphia center Ryan White, who flipped the puck up and over the prone Minnesota goaltender from the left circle for a two-goal Flyers lead.
Minnesota coach Mike Yeo immediately called his time out to settle his team and it paid off a few minutes later on left winger Jason Zucker's unassisted goal.
A backchecking Zucker picked off Flyers All-Star center Claude Giroux's pass in the Minnesota zone and the speedy forward was off to the races. Zucker faked a forehand shot before slipping a backhander through Philadelphia goaltender Steve Mason's legs with 4:02 to go in the second to make it 3-2.
The Flyers got on the board first at the 7:49 mark on center Sean Couturier's eighth goal of the season and second in as many games.
Philadelphia left winger Michael Raffl chased down the puck in the Minnesota zone, eluded Wild defenseman Matt Dumba's check as he swung behind the net before feeding Couturier below the hash marks.
The Flyers controlled much of the opening period from that point on but not without the Wild drawing even on defenseman Marco Scandella's fifth of the year. Niederreiter's pass found a wide open Scandella at the left point and his heavy shot through a screen beat Mason at 14:41 to make it 1-1.
NOTES: The Flyers debut of C Jordan Weal was put on hold until at least Saturday when Philadelphia hosts the New York Islanders. Weal was acquired Wednesday, along with a 2016 3rd-round pick, from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for C Vincent Lecavalier and D Luke Schenn. ... Wild C Ryan Carter returned to the lineup after missing one game due to a hand injury while D Nate Prosser's injured hand prohibited him from playing a second straight game. ... Minnesota D Tyson Strachan played his first home game as a member of the Wild in Prosser's place. .... Philadelphia D Brandon Manning was a healthy scratch as was Minnesota RW Justin Fontaine. ... Flyers coach Dave Hakstol captained the Minnesota Moose when the former IHL team skated at the St. Paul Civic Center, located where Xcel Energy Center now sits. In 112 games with the Moose from 1994-96, Hakstol registered five goals and 16 assists.