PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Philadelphia Flyers scored three unanswered goals to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 in a National Hockey League game Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Collin Graf gave San Jose an early lead with a first-period goal, but Christian Dvorak answered for Philadelphia later in the frame. The Flyers then controlled play, getting second-period goals from Noah Cates and Carl Grundstrom before Travis Konecny sealed the win in the third. Daniel Vladar made 17 saves for the Flyers before a crowd of 17,497. Dvorak and Konecny each had a goal and an assist for Philadelphia. The Flyers improved to 16-12, while the Sharks fell to 14-17.

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Philadelphia Flyers used a balanced offensive attack and a suffocating defensive effort to overpower the San Jose Sharks 4-1 in a National Hockey League contest Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. A crowd of 17,497 watched the Flyers improve to 16-12, while the Sharks fell to 14-17. The result aligned with pregame projections, as Philadelphia entered as a 1.5-goal favorite and statistical models gave them a 67.8% chance of victory. The combined five total goals surpassed the over/under line of 5.5. The game’s opening period set a competitive tone, with both teams trading early chances. San Jose struck first at the 11:33 mark when rookie Collin Graf netted his sixth goal of the season. The Lincoln, Massachusetts, native took a pass from John Klingberg and Will Smith before beating Flyers goaltender Daniel Vladar with a wrist shot. Philadelphia answered before the period ended, capitalizing on sustained pressure in the Sharks’ zone. With just 1:21 remaining in the first, center Christian Dvorak collected a loose puck and shoveled a backhand past San Jose netminder Alex Nedeljkovic. The goal, Dvorak’s seventh, was assisted by Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny, knotting the score at 1-1. The Flyers seized control in the second period with a pair of goals. They took their first lead at the 6:20 mark when Carl Grundstrom redirected a Nick Seeler point shot for his first goal of the season, with Travis Sanheim also earning an assist. The play developed after a strong forecheck forced a turnover, emblematic of Philadelphia’s aggressive approach. Philadelphia extended its lead to 3-1 with just 1:12 left in the middle frame. On a sharp passing sequence, Bobby Brink found Jamie Drysdale at the point, whose shot was deftly tipped in front by Noah Cates for his seventh goal. The Flyers outshot the Sharks 12-5 in the period and limited San Jose’s high-danger chances, with Vladar needing to make only routine saves. The third period saw the Sharks push for a comeback, but they were repeatedly stymied by Philadelphia’s structured defense and Vladar’s steadiness. The Flyers sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at the 5:43 mark of the final period. After a clean defensive-zone faceoff win by Dvorak, Travis Konecny raced to a loose puck and fired it into the unattended net from his own blue line for his eighth goal of the year, assisted by Dvorak. Philadelphia’s victory was a complete team effort. Dvorak, from Palos, Illinois, was instrumental with a goal and an assist, winning 15 of 22 faceoffs and registering four shots. Konecny, the London, Ontario, native, contributed a goal and an assist. Defensemen Sanheim and Drysdale each chipped in an assist, with Drysdale leading all Flyers skaters with four shots on goal. The game’s top star, however, was center Rodrigo Abols. The 6-foot-4, 206-pound native of Riga, Latvia, was a force in all situations, dominating in the faceoff circle and providing a physical presence that set the tone for Philadelphia’s forecheck. His recent performances have been marked by consistent physical play and responsible two-way hockey. In net, Vladar, a Prague native, was efficient in securing the win, stopping 17 of 18 shots. His counterpart, Nedeljkovic of Parma, Ohio, was busy and often sharp, making 26 saves on 29 shots faced, but received little offensive support. San Jose’s attack was led by Graf, who scored their lone goal and had three shots. The Sharks, coming off a 4-1 win in Carolina on Sunday, struggled to generate sustained offense against Philadelphia’s tight-checking system and now head to Toronto to continue a difficult road trip. The Flyers, who had lost 3-2 to Colorado in their previous outing, rebounded with a convincing performance. They will look to build on this win when they host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. The Sharks, meanwhile, will aim to regroup against the Maple Leafs on Thursday before heading to Pittsburgh on Saturday. The game featured four minor penalties, two per side, with none resulting in a power-play goal. Philadelphia’s penalty kill was a perfect 2-for-2, while San Jose’s went 1-for-1, with one Flyers penalty expiring as a minor was being served. The victory moves Philadelphia above .500 as they approach the midpoint of the season, while San Jose continues to search for consistency on the road.

Sharks, Flyers Meet in Philadelphia on Tuesday PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The San Jose Sharks, fresh off a decisive road victory, will look to build momentum when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday night. The Sharks (14-16-0) are coming off a 4-1 win at Carolina on Sunday, a performance that snapped a two-game skid. Rookie center Macklin Celebrini was instrumental in that victory, posting a goal and two assists. The 19-year-old phenom has been a bright spot for San Jose, recording 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games. Philadelphia (15-12-0) aims to rebound after a narrow 3-2 home loss to Colorado on Sunday. Captain Travis Konecny scored one of the Flyers’ goals in that contest, firing a season-high nine shots on net. Konecny has been a consistent offensive catalyst, with points in seven of his last 10 outings (three goals, five assists). The matchup pits two teams on different trajectories over the past week. San Jose has split its last four games, while the Flyers have dropped three of their last four after a strong stretch in late November. Goaltending could be a key factor. Alex Nedeljkovic, who made 29 saves in the win over Carolina, is expected to start for the Sharks. Samuel Ersson, who stopped 25 shots in the loss to Colorado, is the probable starter for Philadelphia. The game marks the only scheduled meeting between the clubs this season. Following Tuesday’s contest, the Sharks continue a four-game road trip with visits to Toronto and Pittsburgh. The Flyers will remain home to host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday before embarking on a five-game road swing. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.