Flyers 3, Jets 0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth posted his third shutout of the season as the visitors dumped the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 before a packed house at MTS Centre on Saturday night.
Neuvirth blocked 28 shots as the Flyers (5-6-3) halted a six-game losing streak and capped a five-game road swing with a gritty victory.
Flyers center Brayden Schenn fired a power-play goal in the first period -- his fifth goal of the season and the club's first with the man advantage in eight games.
Right winger Wayne Simmonds scored just his second goal of the season at 9:44 of the third period, flipping in a rebound past goalie Ondrej Pavelec with the Flyers again on the power play to provide some insurance.
Right winger Matt Reade scored his third goal of the season into an empty net with 1:35 left in the final frame.
Pavelec made 20 saves for the Jets (8-5-2), one of the NHL's highest-scoring squads. It's the first time they've been blanked this season.
Coming into the game, the Flyers were 0-4-2 in their last six games, including 0-3-1 on the current five-game road trip.
Philadelphia had come up dry on 16 straight chances with the man advantage before Jets left winger Alex Burmistrov took a tripping penalty and right winger Jakub Voracek and center Claude Giroux worked the puck around to Schenn. He snapped a shot from the top of the circle that beat Pavelec to the far side.
The Flyers led 1-0 after 20 minutes despite being outshot 12-8.
Winnipeg right winger Nikolaj Ehlers made a slick move around blueliner Radko Gudas and moved in alone on Neuvirth early in the middle frame, but the Czech-born netminder snapped out the mitt to preserve a one-goal lead for the visitors – his best save of the night.
In the third period, Simmonds, stationed in front of Pavelec, swatted in a bouncing pack after the Jets goalie made a sensational, sliding save without the use of his stick. It was snared in the top mesh of the net after a wild scramble in front.
Giroux assisted on both Philadelphia goals.
Voracek finished with one assist. He's posted three straight 20-goal campaigns but has yet to find the back of the net in 14 games this season.
NOTES: C Patrice Cormier and D Paul Postma were inserted into the Winnipeg lineup for the first time this season. C Andrew Copp (upper body) and C Nic Petan (illness) were sidelined, while D Ben Chiarot and D Adam Pardy were healthy scratches. ... C Vincent Lecavalier was a healthy scratch for Philadelphia, while C Sam Gagner returned. Flyers D Evgeny Medvedev (upper body) remains day to day. ... Jets D Toby Enstrom had just one point, an assist, in the club's first 12 games but chipped in three helpers the last two games prior to Saturday. ... Philadelphia first-year bench boss Dave Hakstol coached 11 seasons at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, about 145 miles south of Winnipeg, posting a flashy 271-131-40 record and seven appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four championship.