Glendale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Antoine Vermette recorded his fourth career
hat trick as the Arizona Coyotes downed the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2, on
Monday.
Devan Dubnyk made 30 saves and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the eventual game-
winning goal as Arizona matched its season high with a third straight victory.
R.J. Umberger scored twice 3:02 apart late in the third period, but the Flyers
nevertheless fell to 3-2 on their eight-game road trip.
Steve Mason, in his first start since Dec. 18, surrendered three goals on 24
shots against.
Mark Streit fed Umberger for his first goal with 7:49 remaining in the third,
and the Flyers went on a power play less than a minute later.
They failed to score with the man advantage but kept the pressure on, and
Umberger deflected a Sean Couturier shot into the back of the net with 4:47
left on the clock.
Philadelphia’s best chance in the closing moments came on Claude Giroux’s
cross-ice pass to Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier let a one-timer fly from the
right circle, but Dubnyk easily smothered it.
Vermette sealed the win and his hat trick with an empty-netter.
The Coyotes won a faceoff in front of Dubnyk late in the opening period and
caught the Flyers on their heels going the other way. Shane Doan let a shot
fly from the point, and Vermette’s deft deflection snuck past Mason with 1:34
left in the stanza.
Mason saved a shot through a screen in the second period, but the rebound spun
loose and Vermette was there for an easy goal at the 15:31 mark.
Flyers forward Scott Laughton was sent off for hooking 2:02 into the third,
and on the ensuing power play, Ekman-Larsson posted his ninth goal of the
season with a shot from the point.
Game Notes
Ekman-Larsson has six goals in December … Philadelphia is 0-for-15 on the
power play in its last six games after failing on two chances Monday …
Arizona has won three in a row at home after dropping nine straight … Mason
missed the previous four games with a back injury.
