Sports

Flyers match season-best win streak with dominant decision over Stars

Flyers match season-best win streak with dominant decision over Stars originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers decided against practicing Wednesday, staying off the ice for two consecutive days following a busy three-game road trip.

The decision seemed to pay off.

John Tortorella’s team was quick, connected and all over the Stars in a 5-1 win Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Owen Tippett (two), Sean Walker, Cam Atkinson and Scott Laughton found the back of the net as the Flyers (25-14-6) added another signature win to their résumé. They’ve won five straight, matching their season-best winning streak.

Tippett is bubbling with confidence. His second goal capped off the night and was one for the highlight reel. It may have topped his dazzling move from Monday.

The Flyers outshot Dallas 43-15. A good start to their four-game homestand.

“I think it’s probably an emphasis for us to be a little bit better at home,” Laughton, who scored on a penalty shot, said at morning skate. “We need to be better at home, we know that. It’s exciting to come back to our fans.”

The Flyers split their two-game regular-season series with the Stars (26-13-5). Back in October, they lost a wild one in overtime at American Airlines Center.

This was the Flyers’ first win over Dallas since January 2019. They had gone 0-6-1 and were outscored 32-12 in their previous seven matchups with the Stars.

Flyers fans chanted “Dallas sucks” during the third period.

• The Flyers have seven wins over top-10 clubs. They’re also a top-10 team over halfway through what was viewed by man as a rebuilding season.

Since Nov. 10, the Flyers have gone 20-7-5 for 45 points. Only the Jets have more points over that span with 46.

Pretty impressive.

Flyers have seven wins over top-10 clubs:

Beat Canucks, 2-0
Beat Canucks, 4-1
Beat Jets, 2-0
Beat Avalanche, 5-2
Beat Golden Knights, 4-3, in OT
Beat Stars, 5-1
Beat Hurricanes, 3-1

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) January 19, 2024

• Atkinson’s goal was important insurance early in the third period, extending the Flyers’ lead to 3-1. It came on the power play, giving the Flyers a man advantage goal in six of the last seven games.

Laughton and Tippett added on in the final stanza.

Samuel Ersson had to make only 14 saves.

He did his job and the Flyers gave him a relatively stress-free night.

Jake Oettinger is one of the better goalies in the league and the Flyers got after him. He faced 43 shots and stopped 38.

The Flyers had 21 more shots (30-9) than Dallas at second intermission.

• After missing the last two games, Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale were back in the Flyers’ lineup.

Couturier had been out with an undisclosed injury and Drysdale was battling an illness.

With their returns, Tortorella played 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Couturier picked up an assist and Drysdale was sound offensively and defensively.

• The Flyers took it to the Stars in the first period and were rewarded for it when Morgan Frost made a sparkling pass.

Along the boards in the neutral zone, Frost played the puck through his legs to a streaking Walker, who buried the shot with a minute left in the period.

The Flyers took a 1-0 lead into first intermission and a 15-1 advantage in shots.

Frost finished the night with two helpers and has four of them over the last three games.

Bobby Brink stayed out for plenty of extra work after the Flyers’ morning skate.

The 22-year-old rookie was a healthy scratch for the second time in the last four games. Over his last five games, he has played only 10:34 minutes per game.

The Flyers have to be talking internally about how they want to handle Brink’s spot right now because playing is important for his development.

• The homestand continues with a back-to-back set over the weekend as the Flyers host the Avalanche on Saturday (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and the Senators on Sunday (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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