Simmonds' hat trick leads Flyers past Sharks
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Wayne Simmonds' second goal of the game broke a tie midway through the third period and powered the Philadelphia Flyers past the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams.
Simmonds completed his second career hat trick on an empty-net goal with 35.7 seconds left. Ten minutes earlier, Simmons made it 4-3 when he redirected Jakob Voracek's drive past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, the third time Philadelphia scored on the power play.
The Flyers needed only six seconds after Kevin Labanc's trip of rookie Nolan Patrick 200 feet from the San Jose goal to convert.
Labanc scored two goals for San Jose but committed three minor penalties that were all turned into scores.
Logan Couture tied the game 3-3 early in the third when the Sharks converted their second of five power plays.
The Flyers needed only eight seconds to convert for the second time in as many tries for the only goal of the second period as Simmonds redirected Shayne Gostisbehere's slap shot past Martin Jones at 17:36.
After the Sharks gift-wrapped two early goals for the Flyers, Labanc went to work to tie the game 2-2 by the end of the first period.
San Jose had a number of close-in chances that wouldn't go until Labanc backhanded a rebound past Flyers goalie Brian Elliott at 17:17 of the first. Then the Sharks converted their first power-play chance with 18.9 seconds left in the period as Labanc intercepted an attempted clear and beat Elliott with a wrist shot from the edge of the left circle.
The Flyers opened the scoring at 8:28. Jones' clearance landed on the stick of Voracek, who found Claude Giroux alone in the slot for an open-net redirect.
Jones was caught deep as the Flyers broke across the San Jose line three-on-two, and Jordan Weal finished a power-play chance with a low shot to the far post at 11:16 of the first.
Elliott finished with 32 saves, while Jones stopped 26 shots.
NOTES: C Nolan Patrick, taken second overall by Philadelphia in the 2017 draft, made his NHL debut and registered three shots in 13:30 of ice time. ... Sharks D Brent Burns, the reigning Norris Trophy winner, collected his 500th career point on a third-period assist. ... San Jose continues a season-opening five-game homestand Saturday when it faces the New York Islanders. Philadelphia is back in action Thursday for the Los Angeles Kings' home and season opener. ... RW Barclay Goodrow, C Ryan Carpenter and D Tim Heed were healthy scratches for San Jose while C Jori Lehtera, D Samuel Morin and D Travis Sanheim did not dress for Philadelphia.