Flyers win fourth straight for a season-best streak with 6-2 victory over Coyotes

With their 6-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, the Flyers have strung four straight wins together for the first time in almost two years.

Starting with their 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 29, the Flyers have downed the Los Angeles Kings (4-3), the Anaheim Ducks (4-1), and the Coyotes. The last time they won four in a row was from Jan. 26-31, 2021, when they beat the New Jersey Devils twice and then the New York Islanders twice.

Thursday night, the Flyers started out trailing the Coyotes, who beat them 5-4 in overtime Dec. 11. Michael Carcone’s early goal, which bounced off Carter Hart’s chest and over his shoulder, put the Coyotes up 1-0 going into the second.

» READ MORE: How State & Liberty and James van Riemsdyk are changing the NHL fashion game

The Flyers responded by dominating the second period. Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Wade Allison, Ivan Provorov, and Kevin Hayes all scored for the Flyers’ first five-goal period since Dec. 3, 2019. It is the 66th five-goal period in franchise history.

James van Riemsdyk’s third-period goal made it the Flyers’ first six-goal performance of the season and the first since they beat the Montreal Canadiens, 6-3, on April 21 last season.

While the bench has been resilient and even-keeled through the struggles of the season, coach John Tortorella said it’s obvious how much the wins have done for morale.

On Dec. 11, Morgan Frost had the best game of his NHL career as he racked up four points (one goal, three assists) in Tempe, Ariz., against the Coyotes. It was his second multi-point game of the season.

“He’s just been turning it up a notch,” Konecny said. “I think it’s been ever since that game, he’s never stopped. ... It’s hard to stay consistent in the NHL, but he’s starting to find a way to make things happen. Even if it’s not his night, he finds a way to be part of the game. He’s doing a really good job.”

While Frost has been on a roll since then, including a four-game point streak, he hadn’t had another multi-point game. That is, until the Coyotes came to town.

Trailing 1-0, Frost banked the puck off the end boards behind the Coyotes goal, setting up Tony DeAngelo’s pass to Konecny for a power play goal. A few minutes later, he deflected Konecny’s pass toward Farabee, who scored the go-ahead. Back on the power play, he then set up Hayes’s goal and earned a secondary assist.

When Frost assisted on van Riemsdyk’s third-period goal, he tied his career high in points.

After the holiday break followed by a three-game absence due to injury, Hart made his return to the lineup. His team helped him ease back into things. Aided by their shot-blocking efforts, Hart only saw three shots on goal in the first 10 minutes.

However, the fifth Coyotes shot went in when it took a weird bounce up Hart’s body and over his shoulders. That was the last shot he faced that period.

While the Flyers picked things up offensively, showering Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka with 19 shots in the second, Hart still didn’t face much offense. His team’s power plays and dominant offensive effort helped keep the puck in the other end. Hart only saw nine shots on goal in the period. However, he let one more in when he was slow to react on Nick Ritchie’s shot.

“It doesn’t help when you don’t get too many shots to start,” Hart said. “So once I started to feel a bit more pucks, kind of shook the rust off a little bit and, and got back to my game. Helps when your team doesn’t give a whole lot up.”

The Coyotes picked it up in the third, but so did Hart. He stopped all of their third-period shots and finished with 21 saves on 23 shots.

The Flyers’ first power play featured more clears by the penalty kill than shots on goal by the Flyers. Their second was cut short by the first intermission. However, with time to plan, DeAngelo drew up something special.

“He noticed something that no one else did,” Konecny said. “And then we ran the play after that. And everyone got a good laugh out of it, because he’s usually right.”

» READ MORE: Flyers forward Kevin Hayes selected to 2023 NHL All-Star game

It was only their second power play goal in five games and 10 opportunities. It sparked their offensive onslaught in the second, and when the power play got to take the ice again with seven minutes to go, it scored quickly. Frost dropped a pass back to Konecny, who sent it across the ice to Hayes, who scored on the one-timer.

Hayes’ power play goal marked the second time this season the Flyers have scored more than one of them in a game. The last time was on Dec. 5 in the 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

The top unit, which was the same as the past few games, scored each of the power play goals. The second unit had one adjustment. Defenseman Travis Sanheim came in for Noah Cates, making it a two-defensemen unit.

The Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Sunday.