Philadelphia Flyers center Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates his goal with his teammates. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI |
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PHILADELPHIA -- Brayden Schenn gave the Philadelphia Flyers and their fans plenty to cheer about on Saturday, recording his second career hat trick, dropping his gloves for one of his teammates and leading his team to its eighth straight victory.
"He sticks up for his teammate with a great fight and scores a hat trick," forward Wayne Simmonds said following Philadelphia's 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center. "He's a great skater with good hands and a good shot, and when he puts everything together it's nice to watch."
Schenn became just the fourth player in Flyers' history to score three power-play goals in the same game, joining Tim Kerr (twice), Brian Propp and Scott Hartnell. His only other hat trick came on Feb. 29 in a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames.
Schenn scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the third period for the Flyers (17-10-3), whose winning streak is their longest since Jan. 6-19, 2002. Jakub Voracek assisted on all three goals and added an empty-netter with 1:09 remaining.
"It's obviously nice scoring goals and stuff like that," Schenn said. "But when it comes in a winning effort, coming from behind again, you know it's nice and we'll hopefully keep the streak going."
Fourth-line center Devin Shore scored both goals for the Stars (11-12-6), who are 2-4-1 in their last seven games.
"Yeah, obviously their three power-play goals were the difference," Shore said. "It's unfortunate because it was something we talked about before the game and our scouting report was right."
Stars forward Tyler Seguin, who was serving a high-sticking penalty when Schenn scored the game-winner with 2:15 remaining, took full responsibility.
"Good power play over there," he said. "We knew that. I had a pretty untimely penalty there and it didn't help. We played a good game 5-on-5 and lost it with untimely penalties."
The loss spoiled the first two-goal game of Shore's career. A third-round draft pick of the Stars in 2012, the 22-year-old Shore entered the game with two goals in his first 31 NHL games but gave Dallas a 2-1 lead midway through the third period.
Schenn followed with a high-sticking penalty, but later tied it with a power-play goal with 3:48 remaining, redirecting Voracek's shot past Kari Lehtonen (19 saves). Schenn and Voracek connected for a third time on the power play when Schenn deposited a Voracek rebound past Lehtonen, drawing hundreds of hats from the crowd.
"Schenner had a free stick a couple times so I'm glad it worked," said Voracek, who moved into second place in the NHL in scoring with 32 points, six behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid.
Steve Mason (12-8-3) stopped 21 shots to earn his seventh straight win for the Flyers. Lehtonen (6-9-3) took the loss and made 18 saves.
For teams that rank first and second in the NHL in goals allowed, the Flyers and Stars played a tight defensive game through the first two periods, combining for only two goals on 29 shots.
Shore opened the scoring 7:30 into the game when he emerged from a net-front scramble and backhanded a shot past Mason for his third goal of the season.
Schenn knotted the score with 2:42 remaining in the opening period, redirecting a shot by Voracek past Lehtonen for his fifth goal of the season and fourth on the power play.
Schenn brought the crowd to its feet again in the second period, this time with a spirited fight with Stars defenseman Stephen Johns in which both players connected with overhand rights. Johns had checked Flyers rookie Travis Konecny into the boards earlier in the shift.
NOTES: Veteran F Jiri Hudler (illness) and veteran D Johnny Oduya (lower- body injury), did not play, but both could return to the lineup Sunday when the Stars visit the Chicago Blackhawks. C Cody Eakin returned to the Stars lineup after being a healthy scratch in Thursday night's win over Nashville. ... The Flyers observed a moment of silence for former head coach Bill Dineen, who passed away earlier in the day. Dineen, a former NHL player, coached the Flyers from 1991-93 and was Eric Lindros' first coach. Three of Dineen's sons also played in the NHL: Kevin, Gord and Peter. Bill Dineen was 84. ... Flyers D Michael Del Zotto was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... The Flyers are back in actionSunday in Detroit, then visit the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
