National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Philadelphia 4, Toronto 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 28, 2014
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Referees: Steve Kozari, Ian Walsh
Linesmen: Michel Cormier, Brad Lazarowich
Attendance: 19963


Flyers 4, Maple Leafs 2: Captain Claude Giroux collected a goal and two assists and Steve Mason turned aside 32 shots as host Philadelphia snapped a two-game losing skid.

Scott Hartnell had a power-play goal and an assist and Vincent Lecavalier scored on a 5-on-3 man advantage in his first game since being dropped to the fourth line. Wayne Simmonds matched Giroux with his team-leading 25th goal for the Flyers, who moved within one point of the second-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division.

Former Flyer James van Riemsdyk tied an NHL record for the fastest goal from the start of a period when he scored four seconds into the middle session. Dave Bolland also tallied for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped seven in a row and remained even in points with Detroit, Columbus and Washington in the race for one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference.

After Hartnell gave Philadelphia a 2-1 lead midway through the second, Giroux doubled the advantage with a wrist shot from the left circle at 4:55 of the third. Bolland cleaned up a rebound 83 seconds later, but Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf failed to settle a loose puck in front of his own net and Simmonds made Jonathan Bernier (25 saves) pay for the miscue.

Lecavalier unleashed a one-timer from the right circle past Bernier for his 399th career goal to open the scoring 5:35 into the first period. Van Riesmdyk answered four seconds into the middle session after wristing a shot from the left circle that glanced off Mason's shoulder and into the net.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Van Riemsdyk's tally tied Montreal's Claude Provost and Chicago's Denis Savard for the fastest goal to start a period. Provost accomplished the feat against Boston on Nov. 9, 1957, and Savard tallied four seconds into the third versus the Hartford Whalers on Jan. 12, 1986. ... Toronto is mired in its longest losing skid since dropping eight in a row from Oct. 28-Nov. 13, 2010. ... Prior to Friday's contest, Lecavalier had been held off the scoresheet in each of his previous six games. ... Philadelphia RW Steve Downie missed his third straight contest with an upper-body injury.
Top Game Performances
 
Toronto   Philadelphia
David Bolland 1 Points Claude Giroux 3
David Bolland 1 Goals Claude Giroux 1
Tyler Bozak 1 Assists Claude Giroux 2
N/A Power Play Goals Scott Hartnell 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonathan Bernier .862 Save Percentage Steve Mason .941
Jonathan Bernier 25 Saves Steve Mason 32
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Toronto 34 2 0-4 3-5 14 29
Philadelphia 29 4 2-5 4-4 12 34
Upcoming Games
  • Philadelphia will play their next game at home against Boston. The Flyers have a W/L % of .553 after a win and .514 after a loss.
  • Toronto will play their next game at home against Detroit. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .568 after a win and .395 after a loss.