Hurricanes Handle Flyers – McElhinney Gets the Win

RALEIGH, N.C. — Lucas Wallmark, Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov scored and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 Monday night.

Curtis McElhinney stopped 22 shots as the Hurricanes won for the second time in six games.

Carolina hadn’t scored more than a goal in four of its last five games and had been shutout twice, including a 2-0 loss at New Jersey on Saturday.

Carolina Hurricanes' Trevor van Riemsdyk Philadelphia Flyers' Jordan Weal
Carolina Hurricanes’ Trevor van Riemsdyk and Philadelphia Flyers’ Jordan Weal (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

Jakub Voracek scored for Philadelphia, which lost for the third time in four games and fell to 3-3-1 under interim coach Scott Gordon. Carter Hart started in the nets for the Flyers, but allowed three goals on 10 shots and was replaced by Michal Neuvirth, who stopped all 23 shots he faced.

Wallmark gave Carolina a 1-0 lead at 10:47 in the first period. He beat Hart high to the glove side. It was a trend that would continue for the Hurricanes and eventually lead to Hart’s exit in the second period.

Off the opening faceoff of the second period, Martinook stole the puck in the neutral zone, skated in and scored just six seconds in. Martinook also beat Hart to the glove side.

McElhinney made his toughest save of the night on a 2-on-1 chance by the Flyers and centre Scott Laughton at 2:05 of the second period.

Svechnikov got free in transition after McElhinney’s save and beat Hart at 2:19 for the 3-0 lead.

The power-play has been a season-long problem for the Flyers, who were 0 for 2 Monday. Philadelphia ranks last in the NHL with the man-advantage.

Voracek scored Philadelphia’s only goal at 2:38 in the third period.

NOTES: Philadelphia centre Jori Lehtera was a healthy scratch for the seventh straight game. Lehtera is under investigation for his involvement in a drug ring in his native Finland. According to the Finnish news service mtvuutiset.fi, Lehtera was charged on Monday with purchasing eight grams of cocaine and he faces a five-month prison sentence. “As I have maintained from the outset, these charges against me are false and I will clear my name,” Lehtera said in a statement released by the team. … Carolina captain Justin Williams played in his 1,200 game on Monday.

UP NEXT

Flyers: At Nashville on Tuesday.

Hurricanes: At Philadelphia on Thursday.

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The Associated Press