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5 Observations: Flyers Snap 10-Game Skid As Kevin Hayes Shines

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Nick Deslauriers, Ross Johnston, Philadelphia Flyers
The Islanders' Ross Johnston (right)_ lands a right hand in a first-period fight Tuesday with the Flyers' Nick Deslauriers. Photo: AP.

There was “juice” in the Wells Fargo Center after two early fights Tuesday and a resourceful first period by the Philadelphia Flyers.

And the fans got louder in the game’s final seconds as the Flyers skated off with a hard-earned victory.

Finally.

Travis Sanheim and Kevin Hayes scored early goals, and Carter Hart was solid in the nets as the Philadelphia Flyers snapped a 10-game losing streak, defeating the New York Islanders, 3-1.

Hayes iced the win with an empty-net goal with 33.2 seconds to go, giving the Flyers redemption from Saturday’s defeat.

“I felt we were connected all night long in all three zones,” said coach John Tortorella, who was especially pleased with the Flyers’ forechecking. “… That’s one of our more complete games.”

Unlike Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the host Islanders, the Flyers didn’t fold in the third period.

With the Flyers holding a 2-1 lead, Owen Tippett put the Islanders on a power play with a high-sticking penalty Tuesday. This time, the penalty kill shut down the Isles, helping give the Flyers their first win since Nov. 8.

“It’s not fun when you’re losing every night,” Hayes said, “but I do think there were games we deserved to win during that streak, and games we deserved to lose. Tonight, everyone gave a full 60 effort right from the first faceoff.”

Here are five quick observations:

1. Carter Hart resembled the goalie who was so strong early in the season.

Hart was among the NHL’s elite goalie for most of the first month, but he had gone 0-5-2 with an .869 save percentages in his last seven starts before Tuesday.

He returned to his earlier form, and his defense kept most shots from the perimeter as Philly ended New York’s four-game winning streak. Hart stopped 23 of 24 shots.

Hart also got help from defenseman Egor Zamula, who blocked a ticketed, third-period shot with Hart sprawled on the ice after making a save. Earlier in the sequence, Nick Seeler blocked two shots.

“I owe them dinner,” Hart said.

2. Kevin Hayes, a natural center now playing right wing, continued his torrid pace.

Coach John Tortorella has been critical of Hayes’ defensive play and has moved him to right wing to give him less responsibility on the D side.

But there’s nothing wrong with his offense.

Hayes gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead midway through the second period, depositing his team-leading seventh goal. He later added his eighth. He also has a team-high 24 points in 23 games — not an easy feat with the offensive-challenged Flyers.

3. As expected, the teams came out with a chip on their shoulders

It took all of eight seconds for two heavyweight fights, which was a carryover from the teams’ meeting Saturday on Long Island.

“Obviously things didn’t end well the other night,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “A lot of things we didn’t like and we had to respond — and I thought we did that.”

For the particulars on the fights, click here. 

After the fights, the game settled into a tight-checking defensive battle.

4. Was that really Vezina Trophy candidate Ilya Sorokin in the nets for the Islanders?

It sure didn’t look it in the opening period as he allowed goals to Sanheim (shorthanded) and Kevin Hayes (shot from left circle).  Hayes also had Sorokin beaten as he stickhandled and went in alone early in the second period, but he lost control of the puck and couldn’t get a shot.

Sorokin recovered nicely and made big stops on Morgan Frost, Noah Cates, and Lukas Sedlak late in the second period to keep the Isles within 2-1.

Early in the third period, he stopped Joel Farabee from the left circle, then denied Sedlak on a rebound. Sedalk, who had a pair of assists and was plus-3, centered an effective top line, with Farabee and Hayes as his wingers.

The Russian goalie entered the night with gaudy career numbers against Philly: a 7-1-1 record with a 1.72 GAA and .938 save percentage.

5. Travis Sanheim makes amends for the Isles’ early goal.

Even though his team was on a five-on-three penalty kill, Sanheim pointed a finger at himself for the Isles’ first goal, which gave New York a 1-0 lead.

“The shot got through me,” he said of Noah Dobson’s tally.

A short time later, however, Sanheim rushed up ice while the Flyers were shorthanded (four on five) and knotted the score at 1-1 with his second goal of the season.

“It was nice I got a chance to jump up there,” Sanheim said. Noah Cates “kind of threw it at the net and I just found a way to get it in.”

Breakaways

Nick Deslauriers had six hits and a fight. … Injured defenseman Tony DeAngelo missed his first game of the season, and Rasmus Ristolainen moved to the top pairing. Ristolainen played well; he had five hits, three blocks and was plus-2. … The Flyers had an 18-7 hits domination in the first period. … Zamula, who prevented a game-tying goal with his third-period blocked shot, and left winger Scott Laughton (three shots, 58% on his faceoffs) returned to the Flyers’ lineup. … Isles right winger Josh Bailey skated in warmups but was scratched for an unknown injury. … The Flyers host Tampa Bay on Thursday.

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