PHILADELPHIA _ The Flyers appeared to be ruining the feel-good atmosphere created by the stirring pregame ceremony Thursday night in which Eric Lindros' No. 88 was retired.
But after 40 quiet minutes, they registered a 3-2 overtime win over the stunned Toronto Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center.
Eighteen seconds into overtime, Sean Couturier scored from the left circle after taking a pass from Travis Konecny, enabling the Flyers to overcome a 2-0 deficit and sweep all three games from Toronto this season. It marked the second time in the last 20 years that the Flyers swept the season series from the Maple Leafs.
Michal Neuvirth, who made 29 saves and played brilliantly, also had an assist on the winning goal.
Rookie Nolan Patrick got the Flyers to within 2-1, scoring his first goal in 25 games with 18:27 left in the third. Patrick scored after stripping the puck from Mitch Marner behind the net and whipping a shot past Frederik Andersen.
A little over a minute later, Wayne Simmonds tied it, finishing off a two-on-one short-handed rush with Val Filppula. It was just the Flyers' second short-handed goal of the season.
With 2:50 left in regulation, Neuvirth made a sensational sprawling save to rob Toronto's Patrick Marleau and keep the game tied at 2-2.
Before the game, the arena was louder than at any Flyers game this season as Lindros' No. 88 was raised to the rafters.
Connor Brown, a usual fourth-liner who played on the top line, and Frederik Gauthier scored 28 seconds apart in the second period to give the Leafs a 2-0 edge heading into the third period.
After Shayne Gostisbehere lost the puck at the offensive blue line, Brown scored on a breakaway as his shot trickled through Neuvirth's legs with 7:03 left in the second. Brown grew up near Scott Laughton and is best friends with the Flyers' center.
Twenty-eight seconds later, Gauthier scored his first goal in his seven games this season, knocking in a rebound. When Toronto's William Nylander entered the zone on the left wing before the goal was scored, Gauthier may have been offside in the middle of the ice. Replays were inconclusive, and Flyers coach Dave Hakstol _ fearing a penalty if he was wrong _ decided not to challenge it.
Neuvirth was supposed to be part of a goalie platoon, but because of injuries and Brian Elliott's strong play, he hasn't played much this season. Thursday was just his 10th start, but he may get more action in the season's second half.
Eleven days earlier, Neuvirth made 30 saves in a 4-1 win over Buffalo, and he stopped all eight shots in a third-period relief effort in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers.
Neuvirth was sharp as he made eight saves _ including a big stop on Tyler Bozak shortly after a Jake Voracek turnover _ in a scoreless first period.
Andersen was just as good as Neuvirth in the first 20 minutes, making nine saves and denying Gostisbehere from in close when the Flyers were on a power play late in the period. Andersen made his 39th start this season, tops in the NHL.
The Leafs nearly struck first, but Neuvirth stopped Leo Komarov from point-blank range with 12:15 left in the second period.
Toronto had two straight dominating shifts, but the Couturier line answered with a strong shift of their own. Couturier, working hard behind the net, found Konecny in front but he fired wide with 10:40 to go in the second.
A short time later, Brown and Gauthier gave the Leafs a two-goal cushion.
The Flyers wore No. 88 patches on their jerseys to salute Lindros. The former center's number was everywhere _ on the boards, on the ice, on banners that hung from the arena's top level and virtually everywhere in the concourse.
"We're going to have all the ceremonies and the Leafs are going to want to come in and squash our parade," Simmonds said before the game. "We're going to have to play good hockey, especially after the way we played against the Rangers the other night."
