Flyers defeat Canadiens in Game 6, win Eastern First Round series

Carter Hart made 31 saves, Kevin Hayes had a goal and an assist, and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 6 to win their Eastern Conference First Round series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Friday.

The Flyers, the No. 1 seed, will play the No. 6 seed New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Second Round.

Ivan Provorov and Michael Raffl scored for the Flyers, who won a Stanley Cup Playoff series for the first time since defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

"It's great to get the first one out of the way but we're not done," Provorov said. "We're going to continue to get better, continue to play our game and go as far as we can."

WATCH: [All Flyers vs. Canadiens highlights]

Nick Suzuki scored two goals for the Canadiens, the No. 8 seed. Carey Price made 14 saves.

"I think our whole staff is very proud of working with these guys," Montreal associate coach Kirk Muller said. "We have a mix of older guys and young guys and to see how they jelled through this experience in the bubble here in Toronto (the Eastern hub city). ... They committed to playing hard and playing for each other and, let's be honest, we surprised people. But the experience of what the all these guys learned and how this has really jelled this group together."

The Canadiens played without forward Brendan Gallagher, who sustained a broken jaw on a cross-check by Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen in the third period of Game 5 on Wednesday. Niskanen served a one-game suspension by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

"Obviously it's tough to replace a guy like [Gallagher], you just can't really do it, and I think everybody stepped up," Montreal captain Shea Weber said. "The commitment was there, the effort was there. They were just fortunate to get a couple bounces early and we just couldn't seem to find our break."

Philadelphia went ahead 3-1 at 4:26 of the second period when Raffl drove to the net and had Travis Sanheim's shot deflect off him and past Price.

Suzuki got the Canadiens within 3-2 at 6:05 when he scored from a sharp angle. It was the rookie forward's first two-goal game in the NHL.

"First taste of the NHL playoffs, you can take a lot for a young group," the 21-year-old said. "For me, it's a great experience here. But definitely I would have loved to keep playing. Come back next year and we know we have that experience behind us."

Hart saved Montreal's final 19 shots, including 13 in the third period.

"We know they're going to come hard, they're fighting for their lives," he said. "They're going to throw everything at the net and I think we did a really good job collapsing in front of the net, getting on loose pucks and got a lot of big blocks in the game to limit their chances. I think we were just really solid in front our net tonight."

The win was special for Hart, who won his first Stanley Cup Playoff series against Price, the goalie he grew up idolizing.

"Obviously I look up to him, and for him to come over and congratulate you in the handshake line and said '[Heck] of a series' and he'll be watching, that's pretty special and definitely something I won't forget," Hart said.

Provorov gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead 28 seconds into the first period on a shot from the left side that went off Weber's stick.

Hayes made it 2-0 for Philadelphia at 5:23 when his shot along the ice went off the stick of Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen.

Six of the Flyers' 11 goals in the series went in off a Canadiens player, including four of Philadelphia's six goals in the final two games. Two power-play goals by forward Jakub Voracek in the a 5-3 loss in Game 5 went off the stick of defenseman Ben Chiarot.

"Those are the breaks that you get in a winning, championship season," Price said. "You see it every year. Unfortunately it didn't go our way. Those are the things you can't control."

Suzuki scored a power-play goal for the Canadiens to make it 2-1 at 10:23.

Philadelphia was outscored 13-11 and outshot 145-132 in the series but were able to advance.

"It's tough to win four games in this series," Hayes said. "That was our ultimate goal and we did. I don't think we care how we do it."

NHL.com columnist Dave Stubbs contributed to this report