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National Hockey League
Philadelphia 4, Nashville 2
When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 4, 2016
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Referees: Jon McIsaac, Tim Peel
Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Brad Kovachik
Attendance: 17113

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Philadelphia Flyers' fathers accompanied their sons for their one-day trip to Music City Sunday.

Wayne Simmonds gave his dad a couple of goals.

"He didn't say much to me but I know on the inside, he's glowing," Simmonds said.

Philadelphia fans are glowing too after the Flyers' 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, their fifth straight win and only Nashville's second regulation loss in Bridgestone Arena.

Steve Mason stopped 30 shots, including a dozen in the third period as Philadelphia improved to 14-10-3 and jumped over Washington for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. Michael Raffl and Chris VandeVelde also tallied for the Flyers, Raffl's goal snapping a 2-2 tie late in the second period.

Simmonds, who had just one goal in his previous six games, did his damage with the man advantage. After Philadelphia controlled play for most of the first period, Simmonds got his stick on Jakub Voracek's point shot at 18:12 to initiate scoring with Kevin Fiala in the box for hooking Ivan Provorov.

Calle Jarnkrok's tip of Mattias Ekholm's point shot at 3:17 of the second period enabled the Predators (11-9-4) to tie the game, but Simmonds untied it at 6:47 with Mike Fisher off for boarding Shayne Gostisbehere.

In a classic case of right time, right place, Simmonds was at the goalmouth when Claude Giroux's attempted shot hit off a Nashville stick and found Simmonds at the goalmouth. He had time to deke and shovel the puck by Juuse Saros for his 13th goal of the season.

"Their guys were real aggressive up top, trying to make plays," Simmonds said. "(Giroux) tried a shot and it hit a cluster or something and came right to me."

Colin Wilson equalized for Nashville at 11:19, taking Mike Fisher's cross-ice pass and beating Mason with a backhand to the top right corner. But Raffl blunted the Predators' momentum with a terrific individual effort at 16:37.

Carrying the puck down the right side, Raffl beat Ekholm with a power move and swept the puck by Saros with a backhand for his fifth goal.

"He was trying to step up at first and changed his mind at the last second," Raffl said of Ekholm. "So I felt I had a step on him and I just tried to go around him, and it worked out."

Aside from a double-minor to Filip Forsberg for high-sticking Nick Cousins at 3:12, Nashville carried most of the play in the third period as it chased the tying tally. But the Flyers were able to limit quality scoring chances while staying out of the penalty box.

VandeVelde salted the game away with an empty-netter at 19:33, his fifth marker of the year.

"For me, we've been playing pretty complete games the last nine or 10 games," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said. "We weren't getting the results earlier, but our bench has been staying strong. Even when things haven't gone our way during this streak, we keep pushing and get the momentum back our way."

The result capped a lost weekend for the Predators, who blew a 4-1 third period lead Saturday in a 5-4 overtime loss to New Jersey and weren't able to pick up the pieces in this one. Prior to the weekend, they were 8-1-1 at home.

"Chasing the game the whole time is not a good way to play the game," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "Tonight, I thought we were a little slow off the mark. We built up steam in the second period and had our best period in the third."

Saros (1-2-0) made 24 saves but allowed multiple goals in a game for the first time in his three starts this season. It was only the fifth time in 24 games that regular starter Pekka Rinne, the NHL's First Star of November, didn't play.

NOTES: Philadelphia G Steve Mason's 26 saves in Saturday's 3-1 win over Chicago upped his save percentage to .902, the first time it's been above .900 since Oct. 25. ... Nashville Sunday sent LW Mike Liambas down to AHL affiliate Milwaukee. Liambas made his NHL debut Saturday after 288 minor league games and six-plus seasons, playing 4:42 and recording a shot. ... The Flyers scratched D Radko Gulas, C Scott Laughton, C Boyd Gordon and D Nick Schultz. ... Predators scratches were D Adam Pardy and LW Pontus Aberg.
Top Game Performances
 
Philadelphia   Nashville
Wayne Simmonds 2 Points Calle Jarnkrok 1
Wayne Simmonds 2 Goals Calle Jarnkrok 1
Michael Del Zotto 1 Assists Mattias Ekholm 1
Wayne Simmonds 2 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Steve Mason .938 Save Percentage Juuse Saros .889
Steve Mason 30 Saves Juuse Saros 24
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Philadelphia 28 4 2-5 2-2 4 30
Nashville 32 2 0-2 3-5 10 35
Upcoming Games
  • Nashville will play their next game at home against Colorado. The Predators have a W/L % of .364 after a win and .538 after a loss.
  • Philadelphia will play their next game at home against Florida. The Flyers have a W/L % of .462 after a win and .571 after a loss.