PHILADELPHIA (AP) Tyson Foerster scored the only goal in the shootout to send the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the Eastern Conference top seed Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night and into the playoffs for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n
Flyerss goalie Dan Vladar stopped Carolina\u2019s fourth shootout attempt and set off a wild celebration at the next. The Flyers skated to center ice and raised their sticks toward a packed and rowdy crowd that hasn’t enjoyed a home playoff series since 2018.<\/p>\n
Up next, a postseason series with Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes got the point they needed to secure the top seed in the East.<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference final last season, where they were eliminated by eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida. Carolina was the No. 1 seed in the East in 2006, when it won the Stanley Cup.<\/p>\n
The Flyers, who entered the game tied for fifth in the NHL with 21 comeback victories, woke up in the second period and played like a team with a playoff berth at stake.<\/p>\n
Flyers fans came to life when Denver Barkey used a perfect cross-ice pass and found Matvei Michkov at the left circle. Michkov beat Brandon Bussi and scored his 19th goal to cut it to 2-1.<\/p>\n
Trevor Zegras, sensational in his first season with the Flyers, scored on a power play later in the period, tying the game at 2. Zegras’ goal gave him 13 points in the last 13 games and 26 goals overall this season.<\/p>\n
With a chance to clinch the top seed in the East, the Hurricanes made most of their key players healthy scratches.<\/p>\n
Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis – three of their top four scorers – sat out, as did top-scoring defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. Jaccob Slavin, one of the NHL’s top defensemen, and team captain Jordan Staal also got the night off.<\/p>\n
The makeshift lines were an instant hit for the Hurricanes, who silenced a Flyers crowd that came pumped for a playoff berth celebration.<\/p>\n
Bradly Nadeau scored from the slot on a one-timer on Carolina’s second shot of the game and Nikolaj Ehlers scored his 25th of the season – 250th of his career – on the power play late in the first for a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Flyers: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Hurricanes: At the New York Islanders on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
AP NHL: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/nhl<\/p>\n
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