Couturier continues streak, Flyers top Wild 5-1

January 18, 2012

Rookie Sean Couturier has scored a goal in each of the Flyer's last four games. On Tuesday night he kept that streak going.

The Flyers returned home to the Wells Fargo Center after a four game road trip, and Kimmo Timmonen opened things up in the first period. Timmonen (2) ripped a slap shot from the point, past Minnesota goaltender Josh Harding to make it 1-0 Flyers (2:56).

Then midway through the second period, with the Flyers shorthanded. Couturier and Matt Read created a 2-on-1 in the Wild's zone.

Flyers.NHL.com, Getty Images

Couturier got a pass off to Read, who sent the puck back. Couturier's stick almost missed the pass, but he was able to get enough of a shot off for it to slide into an unattended net.

With Tuesday night's goal, Couturier (10) now has a goal in each of his last five games. He is also the ninth Flyer to score 10 goals this year. And on top of that, he gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead (10:27).

Former Flyer Darroll Powe (4) scored on Ilya Bryzgalov to make it 2-1 (11:38). But that would be the only puck to get by Bryzgalov for the rest of the night.

Bryzgalov has been struggling lately, but on Tuesday night, he looked a lot more like the goalie the Flyers payed for.

The Wild took 26 shots on goal, and Bryzgalov saved 25 of them.

Braydon Coburn (2) scored on a wrist shot from the point that was deflected off of Minnestoa defenseman Nick Schultz to make it 3-1 (12:47) a little over a minute after Powe's goal.

Then Scott Hartnell reached the 20 goal mark after scoring off a deflected shot to put the Flyers up 4-1 over the Wild (16:04). Just another reason why Hartnell should be an All-Star.

Jakub Voracek finished off the night in the third, by scoring his seventh of the season (11:58) to give the Flyer a win by a final of 5-1.

Bryzgalov had a great night in goal for the Flyers. As for Minnesota's Josh Harding, not so much.

Harding saw 34 shots, and was only able to keep 29 out of the net.

The Flyers are now 27-13-4 on the season, after 44 games so far. According to the Associated Press, they are 5-2 since the Winter Classic.

The Flyers remain in second place in the Atlantic Divisionn with 58 points, trailing the Rangers in first by only four.

The New York Islanders will visit the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night, in the Flyer's next game.

Box Score
http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=400047306