PHILADELPHIA (AP) Claude Giroux didn’t like the way he was playing
Peter Budaj Jersey Womens , so the Philadelphia captain called himself out. And he responded in a big way.Two days after saying he needed to ”step up and bring more for the team,” Giroux had a goal and two assists to help the Flyers to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.”When it’s not going your way, you have to challenge yourself,” Giroux said.Giroux had been pointless in two of his previous three contests. Philadelphia survived his turnover in overtime Tuesday night in a 2-1 victory over Carolina when Brian Elliott made a spectacular stick save. That came one game after another Giroux turnover cost the Flyers a goal in a 4-3 shootout home loss to Ottawa.Giroux bounced back with his fifth three-point game of the season.”He’s pretty hard on himself, maybe overly so, but he felt like he could play better and he did that,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. ”He expects a lot of his teammates, but he puts himself at the head of the line.”Travis Konecny scored twice, Jakub Voracek and Ivan Provorov also scored, and Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists. The Flyers kept their hold on a playoff spot in a crowded race in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia entered in seventh place, but just one point ahead of Columbus and the New York Islanders, and only four in front of 10th-placed Carolina.Brian Elliott made 25 saves in his second game back from a lower body injury after missing four games.”Keep packing on two points and we’ll put ourselves in a good spot,” Elliott said.Logan Shaw, Artturi Lehkonen and Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal.The game ended a historic day in Philadelphia that featured the victory parade for the Eagles’ first Super Bowl championship. The Flyers congratulated the Eagles on the video board and played highlights from the parade to the delight of the crowd
Andrew Hammond Jersey Womens , which unleashed a loud ”E-A-G-L-E-S! E-A-G-L-E-S!” chant.Hakstol watched some of the parade festivities on television.”It’s hard not to be excited,” he said. ”It’s pretty inspirational for the entire city. What an awesome sight. Their organization did such a good job from top to bottom the entire year. That’s their just rewards.”The parade also altered both teams’ normal routines. The Flyers held their morning skate at their practice facility in Voorhees, New Jersey rather than on their home ice in Philadelphia. They also had players who live in Philadelphia stay at a hotel in South Jersey on Wednesday night to ensure they could make the morning skate.The Canadiens switched hotels from their normal spot in downtown Philadelphia to a place near the airport to avoid the crowds while also canceling their morning skate.Montreal could’ve used the extra work to practice its penalty kill.”Those penalties hurt,” Montreal coach Claude Julien said. ”Their power play was going good and our penalty kill wasn’t good enough.”Voracek broke a 2-all tie and made amends for an earlier turnover that led to a Canadiens goal 27 seconds into the third period when he roofed a wrist shot over Carey Price’s left shoulder for Philadelphia’s second power play goal of the contest.Konecny made it a two-goal advantage 1:01 later when he pounced on a rebound after Gostisbehere’s shot from the point trickled out of the grasp of Price. It was his 13th tally of the season and seventh in the last 10 contests.Gallagher’s power play goal with 2:54 left brought Montreal within a goal.Provorov iced the win with an empty-netter with 55.9 seconds remaining.The teams each scored a pair of goals in the second period.Konecny opened the scoring by finishing a great passing play 42 seconds into the period.Lehkonen stripped Voracek near center ice and whizzed a shot past Brian Elliott’s glove side with 10:51 left in the second. It was the ninth short-handed goal the Flyers have allowed this season.Philadelphia answered 28 seconds later on the power play when Giroux’s wrist shot got through traffic and past Price.Shaw sent the teams into the final period tied at 2 when his wrister went off Elliott and in with 1:11 left.The Flyers lost all four contests without their top goalie, who got an assist on Provorov’s tally.Notes: Montreal D Shea Weber and C Phillip Danault did not make the trip to Philadelphia but skated prior to Wednesday’s practice. Weber (foot) has been out since Dec. 16 and Danault (concussion) has been sidelined since Jan. 13. … The teams play the second of three contests Feb. 20 in Philadelphia before finishing the season series Feb. 26 at Montreal. … Philadelphia’s power play had been 4-for-30 over the 10 previous games before scoring twice against Montreal.UP NEXTCanadiens: Host Nashville on Saturday night.Flyers: Play at Arizona on Saturday night. TORONTO — John Tavares used to be a mainstay of the New York Islanders, eventually becoming their captain.The 28-year-old center, however, will be on the opposing team for the first time in his career Saturday night when the Islanders visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena.“I assume it will be strange for sure at some level,” said Tavares, who signed as a free agent with the Maple Leafs during the offseason. “It’s really hard to say because I’ve never done it before.”Article continues below ...Tavares had a strong warmup for the reunion with his former team, scoring two goals Friday night when the Maple Leafs defeated the Blue Jackets 4-2 in Columbus.The Islanders also are coming off a win, overcoming 2-0 and 3-1 deficits at home to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Friday.Tavares had 272 goals and 349 assists in 669 games with the Islanders and was their captain from 2013-18.In 38 games with Toronto, he has 26 goals, and is on a pace that would surpass his career-best 38 goals
J.T. Brown Jersey Womens , set in 2014-15.“He’s got a stick like a crowbar,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s heavy, heavy on it. He’s got elite hockey sense.”“He’s getting to the net, he’s making plays,” said Maple Leafs right winger Mitch Marner, who assisted on both goals by Tavares Friday and scored one himself. “I think everyone knew when he came here how good of a one-on-one player he was. I think when he gets it, it’s just for me to try to find the open space and let him go to work on the people he’s going to work on.”It figures to be an emotional night in Toronto Saturday.“You’re in one place so long and you give so much to one place,” Tavares said. “I’m sure there will be many emotions. At the same time, I have to approach it the best way I can, just like any other game. I have to do my best to help my team win and try to play my best and be as best prepared as I can.”Tavares, who grew up in the Toronto area, has been an important addition to the Maples Leafs, who have matured into Stanley Cup contenders.“Johnny meant so much to this organization and to us in the room, his friends and teammates
Tomas Plekanec Jersey Womens ,” Islanders left winger Anders Lee, now the team captain, told Newsday. “I think we’re all looking forward to playing the game and seeing him.”Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist on Friday for the Islanders, who have won five of their past six games. The Maple Leafs have won five in a row.“I know he has a lot of good friends in our room,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “They do have a little bit of hurt. They understand it. But they’d like to have him as a teammate and he decided he didn’t need them as teammates anymore.”The return theme works both ways. Former Maple Leafs, left winger Matt Martin and right winger Leo Komarov, both signed with the Islanders in the offseason, and former Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello will be returning to their former home rink in Toronto.Lamoriello became Islanders president of hockey operations after Tavares signed with Toronto.Maple Leafs backup goaltender Garret Sparks got the start in Columbus Friday, which will set up No. 1 Frederik Andersen for the start on Friday.Islanders goaltender Robin Lehnert stopped all 10 shots he faced after he took over in the second period from Thomas Greiss, who allowed three goals on 17 shots.The Maple Leafs and Islanders were both playing their first game since Sunday.Islanders right wingers Jordan Eberle (stiffness) and Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) did not play Friday.