For the first time since Game 2 of the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, the Detroit Red Wings leave the City of Brotherly Love with a victory.
Andreas Athanasiou scored the game tying goal midway through the third period and the lone shootout goal to not only snap Detroit’s six-game losing streak but a 12-game losing streak in Philadelphia.
Detroit did record three wins in Philadelphia during their Stanley Cup winning run in 1997. They recorded a 4-2 win during the regular season in addition to winning Games 1-2 en route to a Cup winning sweep.
They came close to ending the streak six days ago, but Jakub Voracek scored 1:41 into overtime in a 4-3 victory.
In tonight’s game against the Flyers, Voracek assisted on the opening goal of the game scored by Claude Giroux at 6:28. The Red Wings came back just over two minutes later when Tomas Tatar scored his second goal of season.
After a scoreless second period, the Flyers took the lead when Sean Couturier scored his fourth goal of the season at 6:51.
Athanasiou’s tying goal came when he took a pass from Danny DeKeyser at center ice and used his speed to blaze through the Flyers defense and put a wrist shot over the glove of Steve Mason. From the naked eye it appeared to his the post but replays showed the puck hit the inside bar and came out.
Athanasiou scored the game winner when he skated down the center of the ice and scored a backhander over a sprawling Mason.
Mason made 33 saves in the loss while Jimmy Howard stopped 23 of 25 shots for the win.
Detroit improves their record to 7-6-1 and jumps into a tie with Tampa Bay for second place in the Atlantic Division.
