Simmonds tallies twice as Flyers top Predators
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Wayne Simmonds' two goals and Steve Mason's 30 saves lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-2 win Sunday over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena, the Flyers' fifth straight victory.
Both of Simmonds' markers came on the power play, giving him six with the man advantage this season. Prior to this game, Nashville (11-9-4) had allowed just one power play goal at home.
Mason (9-8-3) came up with 12 saves in the third period as Philadelphia improved to 14-10-3 overall and won for the sixth time in 12 road assignments. He's been in net for four consecutive wins.
Backup goalie Juuse Saros (1-2-0) stopped 24 shots for the Predators, who absorbed just their second regulation loss in 12 games. It capped a lost weekend of sorts, as Nashville blew a 4-1 lead Saturday in a 5-4 overtime loss to New Jersey and was then outplayed for most of Sunday's game.
Chris VandeVelde's empty-net goal at 19:33 sealed the outcome.
Philadelphia opened the scoring with the man advantage at 18:12 of the first period. Simmonds, left unmarked in the slot, tipped Jakub Voracek's point shot by Saros to give the Flyers the lead after controlling most of the period.
Nashville responded with the equalizer at 3:17 of the second as Calle Jarnkrok got a stick on Mattias Ekholm's wrister from the left point. It was Jarnkrok's fourth marker of the season.
Simmonds regained the lead for the Flyers at 6:47 with Mike Fisher in the box for boarding Shayne Gostisbehere. Claude Giroux's shot hit off a Predators defender and caromed to Simmonds at the goalmouth, and he shoveled the puck into the net for his 13th goal.
Colin Wilson tied the game at 11:19, taking Fisher's pass and roofing a backhander over Steve Mason for his fifth goal of the season.
But Michael Raffl put Philadelphia ahead by a goal for the third time, walking around Ekholm and pushing a backhander off the inside of the left post and into the net for his fifth tally this season.
NOTES: Philadelphia G Steve Mason's 26 saves in Saturday's 3-1 win over Chicago upped his save percentage to .902, the first time it's been above .900 since Oct. 25. ... Nashville sent LW Mike Liambas down to AHL affiliate Milwaukee. Liambas made his NHL debut Saturday after 288 minor league games and six-plus seasons, playing 4:42 and recording a shot. ... The Flyers scratched D Radko Gulas, C Scott Laughton, C Boyd Gordon and D Nick Schultz. ... Predators scratches were D Adam Pardy and LW Pontus Aberg.