PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers wanted their Big 5-0 bash to end in celebration.
The Ducks had more fun crashing the party.
Ryan Garbutt’s goal broke a tie in the third period and sent the Anaheim Ducks to their first win of the season, 3-2 over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
The Ducks opened 0-3-1 and had failed to score more than two goals in any of those games. Chris Wagner and Corey Perry also scored to help the Ducks spoil Philadelphia’s home opener.
“About time we won a hockey game, that’s for sure,” coach Randy Carlyle said.
Korbinian Holzer’s angled pass from behind the net led to Garbutt’s one-timer that stunned Steve Mason for the winner.
“That was a great pass from Holzer. One of the best plays I’ve seen from a D man from behind the net,” Garbutt said. “It was fun to be on the other end of it.”
Wayne Simmonds and Matt Read scored for the Flyers. The Flyers have lost all three games since winning on opening night and dropped to 27-16-6 lifetime in home openers.
“We’re in a little bit of a hole here but it’s the beginning of the year. No need to panic,” Simmonds said.
John Gibson stopped 20 shots for the Ducks.
The Flyers opened their 50th anniversary celebration with a tribute to their founder and owner Ed Snider, who died of cancer in April. The Flyers raised a banner to the rafters with his name, team crest and 1967-2016 (years owned) on the memento. Snider’s banner was sandwiched between the one celebrating the 1975 Stanley Cup championship and one for Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke. Clarke _ widely considered the greatest Flyer.
Members of Snider’s family walked a black carpet and helped raise the banner that joined the same row that included ones for two Stanley Cup championships and five retired numbers.
Snider was arguably the most influential executive in Philadelphia sports history. He was chairman of the 76ers basketball team, was once a part-owner of the Eagles football team, and had a hand in founding Comcast’s local sports channel and the city’s largest sports-talk radio station.
“Ed Snider will forever be a part of the Philadelphia Flyers,” announcer Lou Nolan told the crowd.
Snider received the loudest ovation during a memorial tribute to some of the franchise’s greatest names. Pelle Lindbergh, Barry Ashbee, Roger Neilson, and “God Bless America” singer Kate Smith all were included. The video included a clip of the late voice of the Flyers Gene Hart saying his Philly famous phrase, “Good night and good hockey.”
Nolan had scolded fans during last season’s playoffs when they hurled promotional bracelets on the ice during a lopsided loss. He had urged fans to “show some class” during the first wave of band tossing. The Flyers issued a similar warning before the opener when they tried another bracelet giveaway as the attraction of a glitzy pregame show. The fans heeded the warning this time and keep the bracelets on their wrists instead of on the ice.
On opening night, it still didn’t take much to anger Flyers fans.
Wagner scored the only goal of the first and the Flyers failed to convert on late power plays that let them get booed off the ice headed into intermission.
Simmonds scored his third goal of the season and Read followed with his surprising fourth in the second to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 lead. Simmonds’ goal came on the power play but the Flyers missed on six other attempts through two periods.
“They blocked shots. They cleared pucks,” Perry said. “They did everything they were asked to do. When you’re killing penalties that’s what you have to do.”
Perry did his part, too. He tied the game 2-all with 3:18 left in the second to match anemic Anaheim’s highest goal total for a game this season.
NOTES: The Ducks averaged 1.75 goals through the first four games. … Flyers F Brayden Schenn returned from a three-game suspension. He served a suspension for a charging incident in last season’s playoffs.
UP NEXT
DUCKS: The Ducks return from a season-opening five-game road trip on Sunday and host Vancouver in their home opener.
FLYERS: Host Carolina on Saturday.
