Flyers 3, Wild 2
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Flyers started an all-important six-game homestand on the right note, beating the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Thursday at Wells Fargo Center.
Right winger Pierre-Edouard Bellemare broke a 2-2 tie with the game-winning goal 3:21 into the third period, helping the middling Flyers (27-22-11) stem the tide and climb within three points of the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot.
While falling forward from a check in the back, Bellemare scored on a wrist shot as eight different Flyers recorded a point. Prior to the win, Philadelphia had lost seven of its previous 10 and six of its last eight at home.
The Wild (27-24-10), in the midst of a trying month, are now on their first losing streak under interim coach John Torchetti. Minnesota dropped two games in a row after winning four straight since the firing of coach Mike Yeo, who lost his job with the Wild riding an eight-game skid.
Despite the struggles, Minnesota remains in the hunt and four points out of the Western Conference's second wild-card spot.
Flyers goaltender Michal Neuvirth, making his second straight start, saved the game with two massive stops late in the third period. One was an impressive leg save as Philadelphia killed off a two-minute Wild man advantage, while the other came with 2.6 seconds remaining as he blocked a shot diving with his stick.
It was initially ruled a no goal and confirmed after official review.
Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk took the loss despite making 28 saves.
The Flyers opened the scoring in the waning moments of the first period.
Philadelphia center Sam Gagner, entrenched deep in the crease, gathered a loose puck and wrapped it around the outstretched leg of Dubnyk to stake the Flyers to a 1-0 lead with 1:15 left in the first.
Center Brayden Schenn recorded an assist on the play for his seventh point in the last six games.
The Wild took little time erasing the deficit in the second period by netting a power-play goal in their ninth straight road game, a franchise record.
It was done in dazzling fashion as left winger Thomas Vanek put home a wicked deflection between the circles for his 18th goal of the season.
Philadelphia promptly answered with its own power play nearly four minutes later when defenseman Mark Streit took a cross-ice pass from left winger Matt Read and laced a snap shot for his first goal since Jan. 13.
Minnesota knotted it again as center Mikael Granlund and Vanek stayed hot. Granlund corralled a bouncing puck in front and backhanded the rebound past Neuvirth at 13:16 of the second. For Granlund, it marked his fourth point in four games, while Vanek registered his fifth in the last three.
NOTES: C Claude Giroux missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury. Giroux is considered day-to-day. C Sam Gagner took Giroux's spot on the Flyers' top line. ... Wild LW Zach Parise was out with an upper-body injury and considered day-to-day. ... Flyers C R.J. Umberger and D Evgeny Medvedev were healthy scratches for the second consecutive game. ... Wild LW Jason Zucker, who was put on injured reserve Wednesday because of a concussion, was replaced on the top line by C Jordan Schroeder. Schroeder was recalled Wednesday from Iowa of the AHL. ... Wild D Nate Prosser and G Niklas Backstrom were healthy scratches.