Clayton Keller notched the tying goal with 34.2 seconds remaining in regulation, then scored at 2:01 into overtime, as the surging Utah Mammoth rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Keller’s wide-open snapshot off a Dylan Guenther pass erased a two-goal, third-period deficit for Utah, which is amid a 7-0-1 stretch.
After Philadelphia failed to convert some solid empty-net looks with the Utah goaltender pulled, notably Garnet Hathaway having the puck poked away on his breakaway by the Mammoth’s Nick Schmaltz, the hosts tied it in the waning seconds of the third. Keller, who also recorded an assist, won the puck from Travis Sanheim along the side board, broke in, then slid a backhander under the Flyers’ Samuel Ersson (22 saves)
That came after Utah made it 4-3 with 7:13 left in regulation. On the power play, Guenther delivered a shot that glanced in off teammate Barrett Hayton and by a screened Ersson.
Christian Dvorak had two goals with an assist for the Flyers, who are mired in a 1-5-2 rut.
Just 30 seconds into the contest, the Flyers led 1-0. Off Sanheim’s shot, Cam York sent the rebound past Karel Vejmelka (25 saves). A little more than four minutes later, Philadelphia extended its lead when Travis Konecny found a surging Dvorak, who broke free, then went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Vejmelka.
Philadelphia made it 3-0 just 58 seconds into the second period. Off another rebound and via the power play, Bobby Brink was in the right spot to put home Trevor Zegras’ shot.
The Mammoth, though, scored twice in a 36-second span.
With 14:25 left in the second, JJ Peterka completed some hard-working, net-front pressure on Ersson for Utah’s first goal of the night. Seconds later, starting with an own-zone Philadelphia turnover, Lawson Crouse blazed a one-timer from Schmaltz’s pass to make it a one-goal contest.
Philadelphia, though, struck with 9:32 remaining in the middle frame. On another power play, Dvorak put home his own rebound to make it 4-2.
–Field Level Media
