PHILADELPHIA _ Carter Hart is doing more than energizing the fan base and his teammates.
He's winning games _ even those against superstar goalies.
Two nights after the 20-year-old Hart became the youngest goalie in Flyers history to win his NHL debut, he outdueled the great Pekka Rinne, leading the Flyers to a tense 2-1 victory Thursday over Nashville at the percolating Wells Fargo Center.
Rinne was last year's Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goalie.
Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher has strongly hinted he is looking for an established goalie in the trade market, but if Hart's outstanding play continues he may slow his search.
The Flyers, who handed Nashville its ninth straight road loss, are now 2-0 under interim coach Scott Gordon.
Early in the third period, Hart made key saves on Roman Josi and Kyle Turris, and he later helped the Flyers kill their fifth short-handed situation of the night.
Late in the second period, Hart (31 saves) and his teammates, led by Robert Hagg and Sean Couturier, killed a five-on-three that lasted for two minutes, enabling the Flyers to maintain a 2-1 lead. The Flyers were without their best defenseman, Ivan Provorov, during the two-man disadvantage because he earlier had received a two-minute high-sticking penalty and a 10-minute misconduct for pushing the referee.
Hagg was a shot-blocking machine during the Preds' two-man advantage.
"When you block a shot and hear 20,000 people screaming, even though you're tied out there, you're getting more energy," said Hagg, who finished with five blocks.
With 2:45 left in regulation, a hooking penalty on Michael Raffl gave Nashville its sixth power play. The Flyers killed it off, and Ryan Johansen the post with seconds left. The Flyers had survived.
"Our penalty kill won the game for us tonight," Hart said. "They sacrificed their bodies."
Claude Giroux, on a two-on-one with Travis Konecny, gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead when he beat Rinne with a right-circle drive to the far side with 11:27 to go in the second period.
A fortuitous bounce led to Nick Bonino's goal, tying the game at 1 with 15:56 left in the second. Nashville's Ryan Ellis fired a shot that deflected to Bonino in front and he had an open net.
About 45 seconds earlier, the Flyers nearly took a 2-0 lead, but Shayne Gostisbere's power-play drive hit iron. The Flyers' power play was 0 for 4 Thursday and is in a 1 for 31 drought.
The Flyers had taken a 1-0 lead when Jake Voracek tapped in a slick feed from Couturier with 14:50 left in the opening period. Couturier controlled a rebound and spotted Voracek to his right.
"I saw Jake there, backdoor and alone," Couturier said. "I tried to put it in the air for him to put it in and thank God it worked."
The Flyers have scored the first goal in both games under Gordon. Before that, they allowed the first goal in five straight games, all on the road.
For the second straight game, Hart got the start.
And for the second straight night, the Flyers' defense skillfully protected the young goaltender and allowed few high-quality chances _ until the penalties started piling up against the Flyers.
The Predators were missing four key players who are injured, including defenseman P.K. Subban and Filip Forsberg (14 goals in 26 games).
Former Flyer Scott Hartnell, the retired winger who was honored throughout the night and now does some work for the NHL Network, talked after the first period about Philadelphia's improved defensive play in front of Hart.
"Look at the last game," said Hartnell, referring to Tuesday's 3-2 win over Detroit. "It looks like the guys wanted to defend and wanted to play hard. Obviously, the new goalie Hart was in net and the reason for them to do it, but they shouldn't need a reason to play hard defensively. ... Hopefully they figure it out and the right way to play. Unfortunately, a couple guys lost their jobs. Sometimes, it takes that much to wake guys up."
Hart was named the No. 1 star for the second time in his two games.
