Sizzling Flyers sweep Red Wings as Carter Hart steals show

DETROIT -- One night after they escaped with a victory despite a third-period collapse, the Flyers found a more conventional way Sunday to continue their surge.

This time, they didn’t need any overtime heroics from Travis Konecny.

Konecny, however, did set a screen that enabled defenseman Ivan Provorov to score on a one-timer from the point with 17 minutes, 49 seconds left in regulation. The goal, which goalie Jimmy Howard never saw, snapped a 1-1 tie and sparked a 3-1 win over the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.

Carter Hart made 37 saves and stole the win, giving the Flyers a 12-1-1 record in their last 14 games -- and victories over the Red Wings on consecutive days.

“He was awesome, like always,” left winger Oskar Lindblom said.

Lindblom had the first two-goal game of his career and iced the win with a late empty-net goal.

The Flyers swept a season series of at least three games with Detroit for the first time since 1983. They have won five straight road games and are six points behind Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot.

The Flyers won despite getting outshot, 38-23.

Hart was the reason. He rebounded after allowing four third-period goals in Saturday’s 6-5 overtime win over Detroit.

“To me, the best part is, after a five-goal game and having four goals go in on him in the third period -- and I’m not blaming him at all -- it’s very easy to get down,” interim coach Scott Gordon said. “And his response was obviously tremendous.”

“It’s a huge two points for us," said Hart, now 10-1 in his last 11 starts. "The last game, we gave them a little bit of life, and we had to make sure coming into this game we didn’t give them anything.”

The Red Wings got a power play with 14:18 left and peppered Hart, who made perhaps his best save of the night -- a diving stop on Thomas Vanek from the doorstep.

About six minutes later, he robbed the ever-present Anthony Mantha (seven shots). Again.

The Red Wings outplayed the Flyers for most of the first 40 minutes, and finally tied the score at 1-all when Darren Helm got a fortuitous bounce and jammed a rebound into an empty net with 5:11 left in the second period.

Hart stopped 25 of 26 shots over the first two periods to keep the Flyers in the game.

It took just 53 seconds for Wayne Simmonds to go after Mantha and win a decision in their first-period bout. It was payback for Mantha crosschecking Claude Giroux from behind Saturday, causing the captain’s head to hit the sideboards.

“Simmy’s that type of guy. He always steps up in every situation,” Provorov said. “It was definitely nice to see him step up for G and giving us energy for the whole game.”

Simmonds’ response was one of the intangibles the Flyers will miss if he is dealt before the Feb. 25 trade deadline, as expected.

Simmonds aside, the Red Wings controlled the first period and had numerous golden chances but couldn’t solve Hart.

Hart, starting games on back-to-back days for the first time in his young NHL career, made 14 first-period saves, including point-blank stops on Frans Nielsen, Tyler Bertuzzi (twice) Mantha (three times) and Michael Rasmussen.

“I like playing back-to-back. I like playing every game,” Hart said with a smile.

The Flyers took a 1-0 lead when Lindblom scored his ninth goal of the season and fifth in his last 13 games.

Sean Couturier (two assists) skated down the ice and, from behind the goal line, whipped a pass out front that Lindblom knocked off the skate of defenseman Nick Jensen and past goalie Jonathan Bernier with 4:12 to go in the first.

Couturier has 25 points in his last 17 games.

Bernier was replaced at the start of the second period by Howard. Bernier apparently was injured early in the game when he collided with teammate Dylan Larkin.

In Saturday’s 6-5 victory, it was the sixth time in franchise history the Flyers had won a game when they allowed four goals in a third period, according to the NHL.

This time, Hart shut down the Red Wings in the third -- and for virtually the entire game.