Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny and Garnet Hathaway scored to back a 21-save effort from Samuel Ersson as the visiting Philadelphia Flyers earned a 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Philadelphia stopped a two-game losing streak behind a persistent attack. The Flyers outshot the Blackhawks 33-22 as Philadelphia won for the fifth time in seven games.
Seeking to secure consecutive wins at the United Center for the first time in a month, Chicago failed to keep pace offensively in the opener of a five-game homestand. The Blackhawks lost for the 10th time in 11 games, unable to build on their NHL-low 33 points.
Sanheim opened the scoring for the Flyers, who maintained their hold on third place in the Metropolitan Division. His shot to the front of the net deflected off the skate of Chicago defenseman Alex Vlasic and past goaltender Arvid Soderblom at 6:18 of the first period.
Chicago scored the equalizer just 1:17 later when Colin Blackwell gathered a Joey Anderson pass off the boards and streaked down the right side. Anticipating a sliding defensive attempt from Jamie Drysdale, Blackwell avoided contact with a toe drag before wristing the puck over Ersson’s left shoulder.
Philadelphia seized control with a pair of goals in the second period. Konecny scored what stood up as the game-winner with an unassisted goal at 3:15, skating out of his own zone after Chicago was unable to produce a shot off an odd-man opportunity.
Hathaway corralled a rebound of a Noah Cates shot in front and put it past Soderblom at 11:55.
Ersson helped the lead stand up. One of his best stops was a leaning glove save on Taylor Raddysh early in the game.
Chicago’s Nick Foligno was held without a point, the first time he went scoreless in seven games following the All-Star break. Connor Bedard’s point streak ended at three games following his return to the lineup from a fractured jaw.
The Blackhawks went 0-for-2 on the power play. The Flyers had zero opportunities on the man advantage.
Bedard, Chicago’s rookie leading scorer, set a career high with 24:49 of ice time.
Soderblom made 30 saves but remained winless since Nov. 24.
–Field Level Media