Flyers defeat Ducks on Simmonds' OT goal
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Wayne Simmonds scored at 46 seconds of overtime as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Saturday.
Simmonds took a feed from Sean Couturier just inside the Anaheim blueline and benefited from a defensive mixup before firing a wrist shot past John Gibson for his fourth goal on the season. Simmonds has registered both game-winning goals this season for Philadelphia.
The Flyers (2-1-0) also received goals from Ivan Provorov and Couturier. Brian Elliott made 21 saves.
Antoine Vermette and Cam Fowler registered goals for Anaheim (1-0-1). Gibson made 34 saves.
The Flyers opened the scoring on Provorov's goal at 8:19 of the first period. Just as a Philadelphia power play expired, Provorov took a feed from Nolan Patrick and one-timed a slap shot for the score. Jordan Weal registered the secondary assist.
Anaheim tied the game 1-1 on Vermette's goal at 12:13 of the first period. With the teams playing four aside, Vermette was left alone to Elliott's right and slapped home a pass from Ondrej Kase. The goal was Vermette's 500th NHL point.
Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead on Couturier's goal at 13:09 of the second period. Jake Voracek's backhand pass at the goal line off a rush down the left wing found Couturier at Gibson's doorstep for the score. Claude Giroux was credited with the additional assist.
Fowler evened the game at 2-2 with an unassisted short-handed goal at 3:40 of the third period. Fowler gained possession of the puck on a turnover by Giroux just inside the Anaheim blue line and sped off on a solo rush down the left side that ended with a slap shot from 33 feet that beat Elliott cleanly.
Philadelphia controlled play throughout the third period, outshooting Anaheim 15-4 but could not solve Gibson.
NOTES: Philadelphia scratched D Samuel Morin, C Jori Lehtera and D Brandon Manning. ... Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf was scratched again with a lower-body injury. The injury is not serious enough to place the center on injured reserve so it's hopeful he can make his season debut Monday against Calgary. ... Anaheim LW Nick Ritchie was a late scratch because of a lower-body injury, his status is day-to-day. LW Giovanni Fiore made his NHL debut in Ritchie's spot ... In addition to Getzlaf and Ritchie, D Jaycob Megna did not dress for the Ducks.