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PHILADELPHIA -- Sundays regular-season finale felt almost like a playoff game for Carolina Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller. White Jason Witten Elite Autographed Jersey Mens . Its the closest his team will get this year. Eric Staal scored twice in regulation and had the only goal in the shootout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in regular-season finale Sunday. Jeff Skinner added a pair of goals for the Hurricanes, who finish the season in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, outside of the playoff picture. Wayne Simmonds scored twice for the Flyers, who had already wrapped up third place in the Metropolitan Division and a date with the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs later this week. "Games like this are good for our team," Muller said. "Not that its a playoff game or anything or but this is a tough rink to play in, it was sold out and the guys were intense until the end. For our guys to find a way to win was what we like to see as coaches. It was a good finish for us." Cal Heeter made 33 saves in his NHL debut for the Flyers, before stopping one of two shots in the shootout. Heeter was recalled from the Philadelphia Phantoms and given the start after Steve Mason suffered an upper-body injury in Saturdays win over the Penguins. Mason is day-to-day but the Flyers are hopeful hell be able to return to net for Game 1 of their series with the Rangers. "He battled back," Flyers head coach Craig Berube said of Heeter. "Its tough for a kid like that coming in here. Hes nervous obviously and this is probably not the best situation (for his NHL debut). But it is what it is and the kid hung in there and did a good job." Anton Khudobin made 39 saves and stopped all three of shots in the shootout for the Carolina. Skinner scored his 33rd goal of the season on a power play with 4:21 left, giving the Hurricanes a 5-4 lead after the puck took a weird carom off the boards and left him shooting at an open net. But Simmonds tied the game, scoring on a rebound with 9.5 seconds left for his career-high 29th of the season. Fighting back in the final minute felt like a positive sign to the Flyers heading into the post-season. "If we play as a team and keep doing what weve been doing the past few months, well be a really tough team to beat," Flyers defender Kimmo Timonen said. Trailing 4-1, the Flyers went on a second-period offensive, scoring three goals to tie the game, including two within 10 seconds of each other -- on a power-play slap shot from the point from Kimmo Timonen and a wrister from Simmonds. With less than five minutes remaining in the period, Sean Couturier tied the game with a steal and pretty move on a breakaway, matching his career high with his 13th goal. "I thought we skated and were competitive the whole game," Berube said. "We were just looking for good habits and getting our skating legs, and I thought that they did that." Heeters debut got off to an inauspicious start as he failed to stop the first shot he faced, with Skinner beating him with a wrist shot. The Hurricanes scored twice more before the first period ended, with Staal beating Heeter on a low shot from the left circle and Manny Malhotra going five-hole on the rookie for his first goal since Jan. 25. Staal scored his second just 17 seconds into the second period on an easy shot from the right circle. "In my dreams, Id say I didnt give up six goals," Heeter said. "But its a fabulous experience. Ive been working my whole life to get to here and to finally get the opportunity to play a game and to have the support of the management, players, coaches, fans, everybody here . its a dream come true." The Flyers scored their first goal midway through the first period when Matt Read blasted in a one-timer from Jason Akeson, who logged his first NHL assist. Akeson, who was called up from the Phantoms for Sundays game, has two points in two career NHL games. Notes: Before the game, Claude Giroux was presented with the Bobby Clarke Trophy, given to the teams MVP as voted on by local sports writers and broadcasters. Mason, Timonen, Jakub Voracek and Michael Raffl also won team awards, and Vincent Lecavalier was honoured for recently reaching the 400-goal milestone. . The Flyers finished 0-2-2 against the Hurricanes this season, marking the first time they went an entire season without beating the Carolina/Hartford franchise since 1991-92. White Dan Bailey Limited Mens Jersey . Doneil Henry, the man who scored Toronto FCs last-gasp game winner Saturday, knows that probably better than anyone. Pink Dez Bryant Elite Jersey .m. Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Seattle Sounders FC hopes to rebound from a mid-week loss at D.C. United when it travels to Columbus for a Major League Soccer clash with the Crew on Saturday.CHONBURI, Thailand -- Sergio Garcia finished with back-to-back birdies to shoot a second straight 7-under 65 Saturday and seize a four-shot lead after the third round of the Thailand Golf Championship. Garcia had eight birdies overall to go with a lone bogey on the fourth to move to an 18-under total of 198 at the Asian Tour event. "I was able to hit some really nice shots and then was able to roll two or three really good putts in and it was nice to be able to finish birdie, birdie on this difficult finishing stretch," Garcia said. Henrik Stenson also shot a 65 to sit tied for second with Anirban Lahiri of India (67). Justin Rose, who shared the overnight lead with Garcia, only managed a 70 to fall five shots back. Garcia raised some eyebrows by playing with his girlfriend, Katharina Boehm, as his caddie this week, but the partnership seems to be working just fine on the golf course. The Spaniard, though, did joke that Boehm was holding him back. "I think if she will not be on the bag it would probably be like 25 under," said Garcia, who had a hole-in-one on Friday. "No, seriouslly, its great to have her around, forget about having her on the bag this week. Grey Mens Emmitt Smith Elite Jersey. Just a very positive person, a lot of good energy, thats what I love about her, and its great to be able to go through this with her. I think the experience, not only for me but for her, Im sure is interesting and a lot of memories." Stenson, the hottest player in golf over the second half of the season, had a bogey-free round to put himself in contention. Having become the first player to win both the FedEx Cup and the European money title this year, Stenson certainly looks like the biggest threat to Garcias chances of winning a first title of 2013. "That was a good day, definitely was the best I played this week," Stenson said. "Made some good birdies and some really good saves to keep the momentum going. ... I saw Sergio, he finished with two birdies to pull away four ahead again, so its going to take some golf to catch him tomorrow. I know hes desperate to get his hands on a trophy, hes played well this year but has not managed to win anything. Ill try to challenge and see what happens." ' ' ' |
