Game 44 Recap: Flyers 5, Hurricanes 3

The Carolina Hurricanes played their final Saturday home game of the season and they were out-chanced, out-shot, and out-hit in a 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in front of 18,112 at the PNC Arena. Head coach Kirk Muller said that he was disappointed in his team's effort after the loss.

The loss gave the Hurricanes a 2-15-2 record in their last 19 games and made them 1-9-0 in their last 10 home games.

Wayne Simmonds scored a hat trick for the visitors while Matt Read added a goal and two assists.

The Flyers got off to a fast start and put on eight shots on goal before the Canes got untracked. Jakub Voracek broke into the clear on a breakaway and beat goalie Justin Peters to make it 1-0, just 7:00 into the game.

Jeff Skinner tied the game on kind of a blind swipe of the puck that surprised Steve Mason at the 13:18 mark and both teams skated into the first intermission tied, 1-1 even though the Flyers had 19 shots to the Hurricanes 8.

Simmonds would then score the first of his three goals 1:54 into the second period with the help of a beautiful blind pass by Read.

Justin Faulk tied it up a few minutes later after Kevin Westgarth made a nice play keeping the puck in the zone. The line of Westgarth, Nicolas Blanchard, and Tim Wallace was creating some havoc and Faulk's long shot from the point made it into the net.

Simmons would score the next two goals, the first one a minute and change after Faulk's and the next one just 48 seconds into the third period. Simmons' third goal was shot at about the goal line at an impossible angle but it somehow alluded Peters.

Eric Staal gave the home fans some hope as he knocked in the rebound of a Jiri Tlusty shot two minutes later, but Matt Read would get behind the Carolina defense again and scored on an open breakaway to salt away the game.

The Hurricanes will fly to Tampa for an early 6 p.m. game against the Lightning tomorrow.

Game Notes:

• The team was called for another obvious too many men on the ice penalty which seems inexcusable. They have had trouble with line changes off and on all season.
• They were out-shot 38-29 for the game. Skinner and Faulk each had a team high four.
• Once again Faulk had a team high 25:54 of ice time, was tied with a team high two blocked shots, had four shots on goal, and was tied with Tim Gleason with a (+/-) +3. It was the 100th NHL game of his career and he played it well.
• The team only won 43% of the game's faceoffs.