Flyers beat Stars 2-1 to snap eight-game losing streak

James van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist, Travis Konecny scored a goal, and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the visiting Dallas Stars 2-1 on Thursday to snap an eight-game losing streak. Philadelphia was 0-6-2 in its previous eight games. Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 37 saves to help stop the losing skid. Philadelphia has already played seven goaltenders this season, tying a National Hockey League record.

Jamie Benn scored the Stars' lone goal. Dallas' Anton Khudobin stopped 20 shots. The struggling Flyers went more than 12 minutes during one stretch without a shot on goal in the first period. Neither the Stars nor the Flyers were able to generate much early offensive pressure. The Stars led 7-6 in shots after the first 20 minutes. The Flyers broke through when Konecny recorded his 11th goal of the season at 1:23 of the second off assists from van Riemsdyk and Radko Gudas.

Dallas' Alexander Radulov had a couple of solid scoring chances minutes into the second period. Hart saved one slap shot, and the other wrist shot landed slightly wide. Soon after, the Flyers capitalized on a delayed penalty call against the Stars. Van Riemsdyk was credited with the goal on a deflection at 8:51 for a 2-0 lead. Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier picked up assists. Stars defenseman John Klingberg skated in all alone with 6:18 remaining in the second, but his point blank shot was stopped by Hart.

The Stars generated quite a bit of offense in the first six minutes of the third, yet Hart made numerous clutch saves to preserve the two-goal lead. Khudobin made two strong saves while the Stars had a power play midway through the third -- one against Giroux and one against Couturier. With 3:48 remaining, van Riemsdyk nearly scored again. Khudobin reacted quickly and managed to swat the puck away. Benn scored his 18th goal of the season to get the Stars within 2-1 at 17:09 of the third. Khudobin was pulled for an extra skater in the final minute, but the Stars couldn't muster an equalizing goal. 

(With inputs from agencies.)