Konecny scores two goals, Flyers defeat Canadiens

PHILADELPHIA -- Travis Konecny scored two goals for the Philadelphia Flyers in a 5-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.

"The two (standings) points is probably what stands out for me," Konecny said. "They're huge this time of year. I heard the New York] Islanders and [New Jersey Devils] lost, so it's big for us tonight. Just got to keep going, keep building."
***[\[WATCH: All Canadiens vs. Flyers highlights\]*
Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, and Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists for the Flyers (26-19-9), who won their second in a row following a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). Brian Elliott made 25 saves.
Philadelphia holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, and with New Jersey's 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, the Flyers are one point behind the Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division. They're three points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Islanders, who lost 4-3 at the Buffalo Sabres. The Blue Jackets hold the second wild card.
"All the help we can get," Elliott said. "… If we keep packing on the two points, we'll put ourselves in a good spot."
Artturi Lehkonen, Logan Shaw and Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens (22-26-6), who lost for the first time in three games. Carey Price made 23 saves.
The Flyers scored twice in the first 1:28 of the third period to take the lead.
They started the third on the power play after Tomas Plekanec was called for hooking Dale Weise at 19:21 of the second, and took a 3-2 lead when Jakub Voracek scored from the right face-off circle 27 seconds into the period.

The goal extended Voracek's point streak to seven games (three goals, seven assists).
The penalty was Plekanec's third of the game, and the Canadiens gave the Flyers four power plays.
"Those penalties hurt us," Montreal coach Claude Julien said. "Their power play seemed to be going well tonight, and our penalty kill wasn't good enough. … Five-on-5 we were good, we competed with them, we had some chances. But those penalties ended up costing us there at the end."
Konecny made it 4-2 with his second of the night when he found the puck after it trickled through Price's pads and poked it over the goal line at 1:28. He has nine goals in the past 15 games after he had four in the first 39.

"I just know that if I use my speed to get open, [linemates Giroux and Sean Couturier] are more than likely going to find me," Konecny said. "That's what they tell me too: Use my speed and push the [defensemen] back and that gives them more space too."
Gallagher scored a power-play goal at 17:06 to get the Canadiens within 4-3, but Ivan Provorov scored into an empty net at 19:04 to make it 5-3.
The Flyers took a 1-0 lead 42 seconds into the second period when Konecny tipped a pass from Giroux past Price.
Lehkonen scored shorthanded at 9:09 to tie it 1-1. He stripped the puck from Voracek in the neutral zone, broke in alone and beat Elliott with a wrist shot. It was Lehkonen's third goal in two games after he ended a 24-game goal drought with two goals in a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.
The Flyers took back the lead 28 seconds later when Giroux scored on the power play. His shot from above the right circle went over Price's glove at 9:37, with Philadelphia forward Wayne Simmonds providing a screen.
The Canadiens tied it 2-2 with 1:11 remaining in the second when Shaw scored on a wrist shot from the high slot following a Flyers turnover in their zone.

Goal of the game

Voracek's goal 27 seconds into the third period.

Save of the game

Elliott stopping Max Pacioretty at 12:33 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Price's sliding save on Simmonds at 7:09 of the second period.

They said it

"We would've liked to be a little bit better on the [penalty kill]. It would've been nice if I could've come up with a couple of key saves. That probably would've been the difference." -- Canadiens goaltender Carey Price
"That's a sign of a good team, that we can withstand a little push at the end of the game when we're up and still have the juice to get things done." -- Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott

Need to know

Gostisbehere has seven points (one goal, six assists) during a four-game point streak. … The Flyers are 11-0-1 against the Canadiens in Philadelphia since Nov. 22, 2010. … Elliott had the assist on Provorov's goal, his first since the 2014-15 season and seventh in the NHL.

What's next

Canadiens: Host the Nashville Predators on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN360, CITY, TVA Sports, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Flyers: At the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-A, NBCSP+, NHL.TV)