PHI-STL-NHLRecap

PHILADELPHIA -- Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists to help the Philadelphia Flyers to a 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday.
Sean Couturier scored two goals, Scott Laughton, Jordan Weal and Wayne Simmonds scored for Philadelphia (18-15-8), and Brian Elliott made 28 saves.

The Flyers have victories in consecutive games for the first time since winning six in a row Dec. 4-16; they defeated the New York Islanders 6-4 on Thursday.
Ivan Barbashev and Paul Stastny each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (26-16-2), who had their three-game winning streak end. Colton Parayko scored and Jake Allen made 33 saves.
Giroux has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past two games and has 51 points in 41 games this season.

"You don't want to overthink it too much, just want to go out there and play well for your team," Giroux said. "Just try to do what you do best. That's one thing with this team, guys really focus on what they do best and just go out there and do it."
After Laughton gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 2:15 of the first period, Giroux's centering pass to Couturier on a 2-on-1 went off a sliding Parayko and over Allen's shoulder at 6:42 of the first for a 2-0 lead
It was Giroux's 14th goal, matching last season's total in 82 games, and he's close to exceeding the 58 points he had in 2016-17.
"You want to be the best player you can be at all times," Giroux said. "Being able to have that chemistry with [Couturier], it makes my job a lot easier."
Weal made it 3-0 when he dragged the puck around Allen and scored at 8:32 of the second, and Couturier finished a 2-on-1 with Giroux to make it 4-0 at 11:45.
The goal was Couturier's 20th of the season, the first time he's scored that many in seven NHL seasons.
"It's a great accomplishment in this League, but you know I'll take the win any day that I can instead of the goals," he said.
Blues coach Mike Yeo was disturbed by the number of odd-man rushes his team allowed.
"I thought that we weren't tight in our game today," he said. "I thought that when we're on top of our game we're tight, we're in their face, we stop speed before it starts and tonight we just let them come at us."
Barbashev scored at 14:56 of the second, and Stastny made it 4-2 when he converted on a rebound of Vladimir Tarasenko's shot 12 seconds into the third period to make it 4-2.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said his team stayed composed after allowing the early goal.
"That's not the way you want to start a period," he said. "Sloppy play off the opening face-off. … They made a play, they got one goal, but nobody got rattled, nobody panicked. We went back at it and played."
Simmonds deflected a Shayne Gostisbehere point shot for a power-play goal to make it 5-2 at 11:18 of the third.
Parayko got the Blues within 5-3 with 4:31 remaining, but Couturier scored an empty-net goal with 15 seconds left.

Goal of the game

Couturier's goal at 11:45 of the second period.

Save of the game

Elliott's stop on Barbashev at 9:12 of the third period

Highlight of the game

Weal's goal at 8:32 of the second period

They said it

"We didn't come out in the first period well. Even the first two periods we weren't getting to our game. They scored a couple of goals in the first and in the second, again a couple of breakdowns. You can't be trying to come back from 4-0, it's too good of a League. We waited too long today." -- Blues goaltender Jake Allen
"The first shift I just wanted to get a hit in there. [Scott Laughton] kind of teed him up pretty nice and I just wanted to finish my check and [Laughton] had a great shot on that. I didn't even see it go in. I think I celebrated about two seconds late."-- Flyers forward Tyrell Goulbourne, making his NHL debut, who made a hit on Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on his first shift to set up the Flyers' first goal

Need to know

Blues forward Brayden Schenn, who played six seasons with the Flyers from 2011-17, played his first game in Philadelphia since he was traded to the Blues on June 23. … Stastny also scored against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, giving him goals in consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 16-18, 2016. … Simmonds goal was his third in four games. … Voracek's assist on Weal's goal was his NHL-best 41st of the season.

What's next

Blues: At the Washington Capitals on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP, NBCSWA, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Flyers:Host the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday (1 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSP, MSG-B, NHL.TV)