By Jenny Masters
Cam Atkinson scored 45 seconds into overtime and Carter Hart made 33 saves to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.
Kevin Hayes also scored for the Flyers.
Oliver Kylington scored for the Flames, who have lost six of eight. Jacob Markström had 41 saves in Calgary’s fourth game of a seven-game trip.
After Johnny Gaudreau turned the puck over in the 3-on-3 overtime, Sean Couturier took a shot on a 2-on-1 with Atkinson. Markström made the pad stop on Couturier, but the rebound bounced right to Atkinson on the far side and he deposited the puck for his team-leading seventh goal.
“(Couturier) made a good play,” Atkinson said. “My face lit up pretty good when it came to me. All I had to do was bury it.”
Hayes’ first goal of the season tied the game 14:27 in the second period. His initial shot deflected off Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson and right back to him. Hayes then fired the puck into the near side past Markström, who was out of position after the deflection.
Hayes played in just his second game of the season after sitting out the first 12 contests due to a lower body injury. It also was the first goal since the passing of his brother Jimmy over the summer, and Hayes pointed skyward after scoring and then to his heart.
“I’m happy it happened sooner rather than later,” Hayes said. “It was a big goal. It’ll be one I’ll remember forever.”
He said he’ll give the puck to Jimmy’s 2-year-old son, Beau.
“Personally, really, really happy for him,” said Gaudreau, who played with Hayes at Boston College. “He’s gone through a lot these past few months. It’s hard because he’s on the other team and I don’t want them to score, but I was happy for him. He deserved it.”
Kylington opened the scoring with just under 10 minutes left in the first with his third of the season. Gaudreau banked a pass off the boards to Kylington, whose shot from the point deflected off the legs of Couturier and past the right pad of Hart.
