Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The Golden Knights were coming off two impressive one-goal wins over Calgary and Dallas this week with a big showdown with nemesis Minnesota slated for Sunday.
So it seemed tonight’s VGK vs Flyers game had all the trappings of a trap game with a struggling Philadelphia squad suffering through a 10-game losing streak.
Philly went ahead on a goal by Kevin Hayes in period one, a tally matched by a Reilly Smith-to-Jonathan Marchessault-to-William Karlsson goal that tied the game at one after the first period.
Maxwell Willman gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in period two, but VGK winger Max Pacioretty flipped a rebound into an open net past Flyers goalie Carter Hart. The score was 2-2 after two periods.
But Philly broke their winless streak with two goals in the third period as the Knights’ power play struggled again tonight.
Final: Philadelphia 4 Golden Knights 3 as Philly goalie Carter Hart stopped 41 of 44 shots by the VGK.
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The Flyers went ahead in period three thanks to a power play goal by Sean Couturier with VGK captain Mark Stone in the penalty box.
And James Van Riemsdyk made it 4-2 Philly midway through the final period.
A Pacioretty goal late in the third period made it, 4-3.
VGK announced attendance at 18,011.
The Knights are 15-11 after 26 games and play a Minnesota team that is 19-6-1 and in first place in the Central Division on Sunday. The Knights are in fourth place in the division behind the Flames, Ducks and Oilers.