Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Recap: Philadelphia vs. St. Louis

Mika Pyorala's first career shootout tally was the difference as Philadelphia clipped St. Louis, 2-1, at Wachovia Center.

Each club tallied in the first three rounds, then Pyorala began the fourth with a high wrister to put the Flyers ahead. David Backes' try to keep the game alive for St. Louis ended up in Ray Emery's breadbasket.

Scott Hartnell tallied in regulation for the Flyers, who have won four games in succession. Emery made 30 stops for the win, his ninth of the season.

"We've been playing well. Back-to-back games coming off the road is tough," said Hartnell, whose club won 5-2 in Buffalo on Friday. "We played a hard, physical game. We knew they were hungry for a win, right from 'Razor' on up, we battled hard. It took the extra five and the shootout but we got the win."

T.J. Oshie scored for the Blues, losers of four straight and five of six. Chris Mason took the loss despite a strong 35-save performance.

The Flyers picked up the game's first goal with 7:45 to play in the second while on the power play, when Hartnell managed to tip in a dish from Claude Giroux a split second before colliding with Mason.

Oshie's turnaround shot from a broken play knotted the score 5:43 into the third period and the game remained tied through regulation.

Mason came up with a huge pad stop on a Hartnell breakaway midway through overtime to keep the contest going but neither team could end it before the shootout.

"I know they go to the net really hard. That's how they score and that's how they got the goal tonight," Mason said of his opponents. "Hartnell is always coming hard to the net. We would have liked a better outcome but I think we're happy with the point."

Game Notes