PHILADELPHIA — In an impressive display, Scott Laughton netted a personal best of four goals, helping the Philadelphia Flyers secure a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.
After struggling through a drought with just one goal in his last 25 outings, Laughton achieved his second career hat trick and became the first Flyer since John LeClair in 2002 to score four goals in a single game.
Laughton started the scoring in the second frame with a powerful slap shot during a breakaway. He followed up with a short-handed goal in the third period, deflecting a feed from Travis Konecny, and capped off his scoring spree with a pair of empty-net goals.
Aleksei Kolosov demonstrated his capabilities in net, making 25 saves to earn his fourth win of the season.
For Detroit, Ben Chiarot managed to find the back of the net late in the game, marking his first goal this season. The Red Wings have struggled recently, losing six out of their last seven matchups.
In terms of individual performances, Cam Talbot, the Red Wings’ goaltender, made several remarkable saves to keep his team competitive. For instance, he executed a stunning glove save on Matvei Michkov, followed by a sliding pad stop on Joel Farabee, and denied Sean Couturier during a breakaway. Additionally, Talbot thwarted Michkov’s attempt at a “Michigan” goal, where the young player tried to sneak the puck in from behind the net.
For the Flyers, Konecny contributed two assists, which extended his scoring streak to four consecutive games.
A pivotal moment emerged early in the third period when Travis Sanheim blocked an attempt by Vladimir Tarasenko during a Detroit power play. This led to a fast transition, allowing Konecny and Laughton to rush down the ice on a 2-on-1 opportunity, resulting in Laughton’s second goal of the night.
Significantly, Laughton’s second goal marked the milestone of his 100th career goal in the NHL.
Looking ahead, the Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, while the Flyers are set to play against the Minnesota Wild the same day.
