Jackson Blake scores in shootout as East-best Hurricanes top Flyers 4-3

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jackson Blake scored in the shootout, and the Eastern Conference-best Carolina Hurricanes beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on Saturday night to open a home-and-home set.

Seth Jarvis scored his 18th goal, Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin also scored and Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists for the Hurricanes, who have won two consecutive shootouts. Carolina has won three straight and six of eight overall.

The teams relocate to Raleigh, North Carolina, to play again Sunday night.

Bobby Brink, Trevor Zegras and Carl Grundstrom scored for the Flyers, who concluded their six-game homestand with a 2-2-2 record.

Flyers goalie Sam Ersson made the only two saves in overtime, off shots from Gostisbehere and, with about 10 seconds left, veteran Jordan Staal. Ersson finished with 18 saves.

Philadelphia missed all four attempts in the shootout before Blake beat Ersson to end it.

The Flyers had one of their best opening periods of the season. Brink made a move at the blue line and fired a shot past goalie Pyotr Kochetkov’s glove for a 1-0 lead.

Konecny made a backhand pass across the crease to a charging Zegras, who jammed the puck home to make it 2-0.

The Hurricanes tied it in the second. Midway through the period, Gostisbehere smoothly intercepted an outlet attempt, then passed to Ehlers, who unloaded a wrist shot over Ersson’s glove.

Nikishin unloaded a would-be pass toward Mark Jankowski, but the puck detoured off Philadelphia center Noah Cates’ skate and slipped past Ersson to make it 2-2.

Jarvis put Carolina ahead 3-2 with 7:34 left in the game, but Grundstrom tied it 17 seconds later on a breakaway.

The Flyers had just 18 shots against Kochetkov, who stopped 15.

The teams play at Carolina on Sunday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl