Flyers rally past Predators to salvage Giroux's night

PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Farabee scored with 1:19 remaining in the third period, and the Philadelphia Flyers rallied for a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.

Kevin Hayes had a goal and an assist for Philadelphia (19-30-11), which won for the first time in four games (0-2-1). Carter Hart made 28 saves.
Flyers forward Claude Giroux played in his 1,000th NHL game. He's the second player to reach the milestone with Philadelphia, joining Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke (1,144). Clarke was part of the pregame ceremony honoring Giroux.
With the Flyers last in the Metropolitan Division and Giroux in the final season of an eight-year contract, there was a chance it could have been his final game with the only team he's played with in 15 NHL seasons.
"During the game I was trying to keep it together," Giroux said. "I wasn't too bad the first two periods, and then the third period hit, and the crowd and the teammates, they were extra special. I didn't know what to expect, but tonight was pretty awesome."

Giroux's teammates admitted to having extra motivation.
"This guy has been a captain for a long time, he's a tremendous hockey player, he's an even better human off the ice," Hayes said. "He's given back so much to this organization, this city, us as teammates. ... I'm just really happy because he's such a good guy."
Roman Josi had three assists for Nashville (35-22-4) to extend his point streak to eight games. Juuse Saros made 28 saves.
"It wasn't at the standard that we need to play with here," Predators coach John Hynes said. "We have an identity and commitment level that we need to play with. We talk about icing the game that gives us the best way to win regardless of who we play and we weren't at that level tonight."
Farabee's winning goal came when he redirected a pass through the slot from Hayes.
Giroux, who is second behind Clarke in Flyers history in games played, assists (609) and points (900), said Wednesday that he believed Farabee could pass all his marks.
"I think that was probably the coolest game that I've ever been a part of, just how the crowd was in it for 'G,'" Farabee said. "Playing in a game or even just to be part of the team in a moment like that, for a captain that's played as long as he has, I think it's a special moment and something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

Hayes had tied it 4-4 at 15:45 of the third when Saros cleared a centering pass by Rasmus Ristolainen off the forward.
Filip Forsberg put the Predators ahead 4-3 at 1:11 of the third. Josi skated the puck around the Flyers goal and passed out front to Forsberg, who shot the puck from between his feet and past Hart.
The goal was Forsberg's 210th in the NHL, tying David Legwand for most in Nashville history.
"That was an unreal goal, one of those goals that only 'Fil' can score, between the legs and so quick in front of the net," Josi said. "There wasn't a lot of space there. He's been unbelievable for us and scoring so many goals. ... Tying that scoring record, it's a huge accomplishment."

Sanheim put the Flyers ahead 1-0 at 7:44 of the first period. Hayes' centering pass went off Predators defenseman Ben Harpur to Sanheim in the slot, and his backhand got past Saros.
Tanner Jeannot tied the game 23 seconds into the second period.
York scored on the power play to make it 2-1 at 1:22, and van Riemsdyk made it 3-1 at 3:48.
Philippe Myers scored to make it 3-2 at 5:16. It was his first goal since the Flyers traded him to the Predators for defenseman Ryan Ellis on July 17.
Ryan Johansen tied the game 3-3 with a power-play goal at 16:05.
NOTES: The Flyers had a goal by James van Riemsdyk disallowed with 6:32 remaining in the third period when a coach's challenge showed Cam Atkinson played the puck with a high stick prior to the goal. ... Josi has scored 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) during his point streak, which tied for the second-longest by a defenseman this season; Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche scored in 13 straight games. ... Forsberg has scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) during a five-game point streak. ... Jeannot's goal was his 20th; he's the second Predators rookie to score 20, along with Forsberg (26 in 2014-15). … It was the first game between the teams since Jan. 1, 2019, and the first in Philadelphia since Dec. 20, 2018.