NHL Game Summary - Winnipeg at Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Schultz picked up the game winner in the second period, while Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier scored in the third, as Philadelphia topped Winnipeg by a 5-2 count on Thursday.
Wayne Simmonds and Chris VandeVelde also tallied for the Flyers, winners of three in a row and four of their last five.
In his first start since Jan. 8, Steve Mason picked up his second straight positive result thanks to 36 saves.
"I feel really good. The injury hasn't been a problem which is great," Mason said of his knee issue which kept him sidelined for more than two weeks. "More importantly I thought my game felt sharper than last night or the night before rather, which is obviously a positive sign as well."
Mathieu Perreault potted both goals for the Jets, who have lost two straight since a five-game win streak. Michael Hutchinson took the loss despite 27 stops.
Schenn's one-timer from the bottom of the left circle off a dish from Simmonds at 4:12 of the third gave the Flyers a 4-2 advantage.
Philly killed off a check-to-the-head minor to NHL leading scorer Jakub Voracek with 5:53 on the clock and Hutchinson dove well out of his crease to deny Matt Read again minutes later.
Winnipeg elected to pull Hutchinson with more than two minutes to play, but Couturier hit the empty net with 1:41 remaining to seal the outcome.
The hosts hit the scoreboard at 7:02, as VandeVelde converted a Michael Del Zotto rebound chance in front, then Perreault picked up his own rebound and beat Mason at 8:20.
Simmonds tallied at 11:39, at the tail end of a power play off a slick set up from Voracek to make it 2-1, and Perreault unleashed a high wrister through a screen from the right circle on the advantage for a 2-2 tie at 16:57.
"I feel a lot better today, but at the end of the day, it's not good enough for our team. We were sitting pretty in the standings. Then you lose two, so we've got to start winning. You can't wait until late March to get going."
Schultz then lifted a puck over a scramble in the Winnipeg crease to put the Flyers back on top at 3:18 of the second.
Both goaltenders stole the spotlight from there. Mason made three quick saves in close on Blake Wheeler during a Jets advantage midway through the period ahead of Hutchinson doing the splits to deny Read off a 3-on-1 break with under 3 1/2 minutes before the intermission.