Flyers beat Kings on OT breakaway

BRAYDEN SCHENN swiped the puck off Jake Muzzin's stick just inside the Flyers' blue line and took off on an overtime breakaway.

The only audible sound inside the Wells Fargo Center, aside from a building crescendo of anticipation, was the noise of 19,873 seats flipping up as butts rose out of them.

"From blue line to blue line, I just put my head down," Schenn said. "It was just an all-out sprint to try and create separation. I think it was maybe around the [Kings'] blue line that I tried to look and see what's open."

Two-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender Jonathan Quick didn't give him much.

As Schenn went to shoot, his stick was snagged by a racing Muzzin. The puck never left the ice as it hit Quick's right pad.

Momentum from Schenn's changeup - and maybe a little shove from Wayne Simmonds - carried both Quick and the frozen 3-inch piece of vulcanized rubber across the goal line 2:36 into overtime.

While Simmonds and Schenn jumped around in front of the net, with the puck clearly over the line, the awaiting referee signaled no-goal.

Only a lengthy review determined Schenn had delivered the Flyers a 3-2 overtime win last night against the team that traded him here 3 years ago, defining the future paths of both franchises.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter said it shouldn't have counted. Quick was incensed, breaking his stick on the net and throwing it in the direction of the officials. None of it mattered.

"I guess maybe the fresh ice [in overtime] helped him slide into the net," Schenn said with a smile.

Somehow, some way, the Flyers (4-3-2) will crawl out of a once-horrifying October riddled with land mines and injuries guaranteed at least a .500 record. They can be as many as two games over even with a victory in Tampa Bay tomorrow night.

"That would be nice," Simmonds said. "We have had a few injuries, but I think we're finally starting to hit our stride. Our forwards are coming back and giving us a lot more help defensively. It's working."

They started 0-2-2. They've faced Boston, Anaheim, Montreal Detroit, Dallas, Chicago, Pittsburgh and now Los Angeles and haven't blinked. No Braydon Coburn, no Andrew MacDonald, no problem apparently.

What's been the difference?

For one, the Flyers have been bailed out by Ray Emery. He hasn't been defeated (4-0-1) in regulation yet.

"He's playing unbelievable," Simmonds said. "Even when we're not giving him support, he's given us chances to get back into games and win games. I think it's great when you can rely on either goaltender - either 'Mase' [Steve Mason] or Ray - to go in there and give us their best effort every night."

More important, the Flyers have done a significantly better job exiting their defensive zone more efficiently. Last night's was by far their cleanest defensive game.

The difference with the puck on their forwards' sticks more often is night and day, evident in the 20 shots they sprung on Quick in the first period alone. The Flyers posted 43 shots in all, matching the most the Kings have allowed this season.

"Against Detroit, we didn't get out of our end because we didn't make plays," coach Craig Berube said of Saturday's 4-2 win. "You can't defend in your zone and force a turnover and just throw it up the wall and not make a play. They're going to put it right back in your end.

"We used the weak side of the ice tonight. Our weak-side 'D' was jumping. Our centers were in position and we made plays."

How much of that can be attributed to Shayne Gostisbehere, who aids with the transition game, and overall help from forwards is tough to pinpoint. However, defenseman Nick Schultz said the defense as a whole has been able to block out whatever has been said and written about it and remained confident. It's worked.

"It feels good," Simmonds said. "I think that was a great way to end it, with me and Brayden both on the ice. I was just real excited when he put that goal in the net. I think we both looked like little schoolgirls jumping up and down."

Jason Akeson was limping and went for X-rays postgame for an apparent right foot or ankle injury. General manager Ron Hextall declined comment . . . Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, playing in his second NHL game, did not take a shift in the final 6:30 of regulation or in overtime . . . Craig Berube said he's "not riding" Ray Emery and reiterated he is committed to using both goaltenders . . . Zac Rinaldo returned to the Flyers' lineup after missing one game with an "upper-body" injury. Blair Jones was a healthy scratch . . . Chris VandeVelde scored his first goal as a Flyer and first NHL goal since March 25, 2012.

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