With Sean Couturier back in the lineup, the Flyers posted a thrilling 3-2 win Saturday afternoon over the Bruins at Wells Fargo Center.
Travis Konecny scored his 29th and 30th goals of the season. Tyson Forrester buried the game-winner with 1:31 minutes left.
Konecny broke the ice late in the second period with a power play goal. During the third period, he put the Flyers back in front 2-1, before Danton Heinen put it back 56 seconds later.
Everything is set for Forster's heroics. The rookie winger also had an assist.
“We never give up,” Forster said. “We always stick together.”
The Flyers (36-26-9) have earned at least a point in three straight games (2-0-1).
John Tortorella's team is 2-2-1 in this grueling seven-game series against contenders. The Panthers and Rangers have survived.
The Flyers now have 12 wins over top 10 clubs. They went 1-2-0 against the Bruins (41-16-15) in their three-game regular season series. After allowing 12 goals over the first two meetings, the Flyers limited Boston this time around.
“High marks,” Tortorella said. “Obviously this is a really good hockey team. I thought we stood there and played a really good third period.”
Since the 2021-22 season, the Flyers are 2-7-0 against the Bruins.
• Couturier returned to the lineup after two games off the bench.
“It's behind me now,” he said of the successive healthy scratches. “I don't really want to talk about it. I just want to help the team in any way I can. It went well, we got three points out of four and now five out of six. I thought as a team we all responded really well.”
The Flyers captain played well on the fourth line with Noah Keates and Ollie Lexell. This was perhaps the Flyers' most effective line.
The trio kept time in the attacking area, created some looks and conceded a penalty to set up an advantage for Konecny.
“I thought they checked the ball well. I thought the line played really well,” Tortorella said. “I think Lixell is a guy that the more you see him more and more, it's something we're interested in as much as he can be. He's had some scoring opportunities as well, but on the other side of the puck, I think he's played well.
“All three of those guys, I was starting them in the offensive zone most of the time, and they had some turnovers against the top lines and I thought they did a pretty good job.”
Nicolas Deslauriers, Cam Atkinson, Denis Gurianov and Marc Staal were healthy scratches.
• With 11 games remaining, the Flyers are in third place in the Metropolitan Division, a position they have held since the end of January. They entered Saturday with a 75.4 percent chance of making the playoffs Hockey-Reference.com's Prospects Report.
After Saturday's win, they now have a four-point lead over the Capitals and six ahead of the Islanders. Washington has played two fewer games than the Flyers and New York one fewer. The Flyers have one more game with each team.
The Flyers Postgame Live crew breaks down the team's 3-2 win Saturday afternoon over the Bruins.
• Samuel Ersson recorded 18 saves on 20 shots. He stopped 75 of 83 shots at the Flyers' three-point line.
“I think we played well all year against top teams,” the 24-year-old rookie said. “Obviously you have to respect them, but we know what we can do, we're a good team too. We have to believe in that and go out and prove it every night.”
Boston tied the game just midway through the third period on a goal from Justin Brazeau. This came on the Flyers' third defensive pairing of Igor Zamula and Eric Johnson. Brazeau finished the ball with a good move on Ersson.
Konecny was almost the hero but Heinen stunned the Flyers to make it 2-2. Morgan Geekie somehow snuck a pass across the ice through the Flyers' coverage.
The Flyers were able to hold David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand scoreless.
Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark stopped 26 of the Flyers' 29 shots. He was solid through two periods but Boston needed him to be better late.
One minute and 16 seconds after Koniecny scored in the middle frame, Johnson broke out and made an excellent defensive play to spark a Scott Laughton breakaway. But Ullmark made a brilliant glove save to keep the Bruins within one at the second intermission.
“I don't think you guys realize how big the play is,” Konecny said of Johnson's effort. “Because there was a collapse and you know their team is dangerous. It was huge.”
Johnson, who was acquired by the Flyers at the trade deadline, also spoke highly of Konecny.
“From what I knew before, he's a great competitor, really good to have in the team,” the veteran defender said. “There's a fine line, right? You don't want to cross that line and hurt your team, but you want to play on the edge and be that thorn in the other team's side. For TK, he has that skill and that abrasion. It really helped our group.”
• The Flyers return to action on Sunday when they host Florida (6 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).
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