Konecny, Tippett help Flyers hand Blue Jackets 5th loss in row

PHILADELPHIA -- Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett each scored two goals for the Philadelphia Flyers in a 5-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday.

Morgan Frost scored, and Cam York had two assists for Philadelphia (11-15-7). Carter Hart made 30 saves.
The Flyers have won two of their past three (2-1-0), but it was their fourth win in 21 games (4-12-5).
"There have been some good things going on as far as development, as far as individual players, and also working on concept," Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said. "You've got to hang your hat on somewhere or you will lose your mind. Those are the things we're trying ... we're trying small victories as far as where we're coming as individuals."
Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson and Andrew Peeke scored for Columbus (10-20-2), which lost its fifth straight game. Daniil Tarasov made 34 saves in starting for the second straight day; he made 32 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday.
"Tonight, I don't think we really managed the puck well," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "We were sloppy and it cost us. ... We had some pockets of decent moments, but we weren't there. The execution wasn't there. We were a half-step slow. We just couldn't connect."

Konecny gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead at 13:48 of the first period with his first NHL short-handed goal. Scott Laughton intercepted a pass in the Flyers zone and shot the puck into the neutral zone before Konecny outraced Blue Jackets defenseman Marcus Bjork for the puck, cut to the slot, and beat Tarasov.
The forward is averaging 1:58 of short-handed ice time in 27 games after averaging three seconds per game in his first six seasons.
"I don't think he's killed here before ... which is shocking," Tortorella said. "I just think he's so good. I had Cam [Atkinson] for six years (as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets), and him and Cam are very similar. They anticipate so very well as a penalty killer. That's why they end up with scoring chances in those type of situations."
Konecny said killing penalties is something that helps his overall game.
"I feel like it helps me get engaged in games," he said. "I just feel PK is one of those things where you've got to get your feet moving, got to be playing the right way in the right position. So it gets me engaged a lot of times."
Konecny's second goal put the Flyers ahead 4-2 at 2:45 of the third period. He skated the puck out of the Philadelphia zone, cut past Columbus defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, and lifted a backhand over Tarasov's glove as he skated down the slot.
"He's an elite player, probably one of our best players and he's playing well right now," Flyers forward Kevin Hayes said. "He's an electric player that is basically considered close to an All-Star in this league, and he's probably playing the best hockey I've seen him play since I've been here."

Marchenko tied the game 1-1 at 5:58 of the second period when he redirected a shot by
Jake Christiansen
, and Johnson finished a 2-on-1 at 8:41 to put the Blue Jackets ahead 2-1.
But Columbus couldn't build on its lead. Frost tied it 2-2 at 10:04 when he scored from the left face-off circle through a screen. Then Tippett put the Flyers ahead 3-2 at 14:18 when he finished a give-and-go with Joel Farabee.
"There's little mistakes we make that end up in the back of our net right now," Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. "It's frustrating, but it's part of the growth process for this group."

After Konecny's goal early in the third period, Columbus made it 4-3 at 11:11 when Peeke scored with a shot from the high slot off the rush.
Tippett scored an empty-net goal at 18:41 for the 5-3 final.
Konecny (25 years old), Frost (23) and Tippett (23) are part of a young core Philadelphia is hoping to build around.
"We're a young team and we're relying on some pretty important young players and tonight they were great," Hayes said.
NOTES: Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins missed the game because of an illness. Jet Greaves was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League to be the backup. ... The Blue Jackets placed forward Yegor Chinakhov on injured reserve because of an ankle injury sustained in the first period against the Stars on Monday. ... Tortorella won his 684th NHL game, tying Pat Quinn for 13th all-time. ... Hayes had three shots on goal in 14:25 of ice time after being scratched for a 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. He leads the Flyers with 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 32 games. ... Philadelphia forward Wade Allison had one shot on goal in 10:40 of ice time after missing 18 games with a hip pointer and oblique muscle injury.