Weal comes through in clutch as Flyers edge Sens
PHILADELPHIA -- Rookie forward Jordan Weal scored to send the game into overtime and won it in the shootout to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Forward Brayden Schenn also scored for the Flyers, who won back-to-back games for the first time since Feb. 28 and March 2. Steve Mason (26 saves) earned the win, improving to 24-21-7.
Captain Erik Karlsson and forward Kyle Turris each scored for the Senators, who lost for the sixth time in eight games (2-3-3).
Craig Anderson (33 saves) took the loss for the Senators, falling to 22-10-3.
Weal, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings last year in a trade involving Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn, has six goals in 17 games with the Flyers. His shootout goal was a result of a snap shot that handcuffed Anderson. It was the only goal scored in the shootout, as Mason stopped Turris, Bobby Ryan and Tom Pyatt in succession.
The Senators twice grabbed one-goal leads, only to see the Flyers tie shortly thereafter.
With the score tied at 1 entering the third period, Turris gave Ottawa the lead with 7:25 remaining in regulation when he took a perfect feed from defenseman Cody Ceci and ripped a one-timer past Mason, matching his career high of 26 goals set in 2013-14.
The Flyers responded 86 seconds later when Weal intercepted a pass from Anderson, who had roamed behind his net, and deposited the puck into the open net with 5:59 remaining.
The teams traded power-play goals in the first period. Karlsson opened the scoring with 3:35 remaining after wristing a shot over Mason, who was screened by Mark Stone.
The goal, which came after a clean faceoff win by Turris, was Karlsson's 15th of the season. His team-high 68 points moved him within four of Norris Trophy favorite Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks.
The Flyers tied a little more than two minutes later when Brayden Schenn deflected a one-timer past Anderson for his 23rd goal of the season and 15th on the power play, behind only Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
NOTES: Senators D Marc Methot sat out his second straight game with a finger injury sustained when he was slashed by Penguins C Sidney Crosby Thursday night. He was replaced by Fredrik Claesson, who played on a top pairing with Erik Karlsson. ... G Craig Anderson, who sat out 26 games to be with his wife while she battled cancer, was named the Senators' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, dedication and sportsmanship. C Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was the Flyers' nominee. ... The Flyers return to action Thursday night against the New York Islanders before closing out their three-game homestand Saturday against the Devils. ... The Senators continue their five-game roads trip in Minnesota on Thursday, followed by stops in Winnipeg and Detroit.