Stolarz makes history as Flyers beat Flames
PHILADELPHIA -- Anthony Stolarz celebrated becoming the first New Jersey-born goaltender to play in an NHL game by becoming the first Jersey native to win an NHL game.
Stolarz allowed a goal on just the second shot he faced, but settled down to stop 29 of 32 shots in a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds and rookie Roman Lyubimov each picked up a goal and an assist for the Flyers, and Michael Raffl and Chris VandeVelde also netted goals as Philadelphia (10-10-3) halted a two-game losing streak.
Defenseman T.J. Brodie, rookie forward Matthew Tkachuk and forward Alex Chiasson scored for the Flames (10-13-1), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Flames goaltender Chad Johnson (38 saves) lost for just the third time this month.
The Flames are now 3-2-0 during a six-game road trip that ends Monday night in Brooklyn against the Islanders.
Stolarz, who is from Edison, N.J., about 60 miles northeast of Philadelphia, allowed his first NHL goal on just the second shot he faced 7:42 into the game, and it came with the Flyers on the power play.
On a short-handed rush, Flames center Mikael Backlund fed Brodie for a backhander that fluttered under Stolarz's catching glove for Brodie's first goal of the season. It was Calgary's league-leading fourth short-handed goal and the fifth short-handed goal allowed by the Flyers.
Stolarz settled down after that with 23 consecutive saves and the Flyers took over, scoring the next four goals.
The Flyers tied the score 10 minutes later when Voracek wheeled around the back of the net and fed Raffl in the crease for a backhander that beat Johnson. The goal was Raffl's fourth of the season and first in five games.
Voracek gave the Flyers their first lead of the game with 52 seconds gone in the second period and Calgary rookie forward Matthew Tkachuk in the box for holding. Voracek was trying to hit Wayne Simmonds with a pass but the puck deflected off Flames defenseman Mark Giordano and over Johnson's right shoulder.
The goal was Voracek's eighth of the season and first on the power play, matching his power-play total from last season.
The Flyers turned up the heat on Johnson after Voracek's goal and grabbed a 4-1 lead on goals by VandeVelde and Simmonds just 24 seconds apart. VandeVelde parked himself in the slot and redirected a pass from Lyubimov past Johnson for his fourth goal of the season. Shortly after the ensuing faceoff, Simmonds broke away from the Calgary defense and put a backhander past Johnson for his team-high 11th goal.
The Flames drew within 4-2 with 8:05 gone in the final period on Tkachuk's sixth goal of the season, a deflection of Dougie Hamilton's shot, but Lyubimov restored the Flyers' three-goal lead with his fourth goal of the season off a Michael Del Zotto rebound.
Chiasson scored anoyher short-handed goal for the Flames with 1:50 remaining to complete the scoring.
NOTES: Flyers D Brandon Manning sat out with an undisclosed injury after being unable to complete Friday's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. He was replaced with Del Zotto. ... Flames RW Kris Versteeg returned to the lineup after missing 10 of the previous 11 games with a groin injury. ... Flames C Michael Frolik played in his 600th NHL game. Calgary G Chad Johnson made his NHL debut against the Flyers as a member of the New York Rangers on Dec. 30, 2009. ... The Flyers conclude their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. It will be their first meeting of the season. ... The Flames conclude their season-long six-game road trip Monday night when they visit the New York Islanders.