Voracek's first goal lifts Flyers past Hurricanes in overtime

RALEIGH, N.C. - Right winger Jake Voracek couldn't have scored his first goal of the season at a more opportune time, capping a furious late comeback Saturday night that gave the Flyers a stunning victory at PNC Arena.

Just 37 seconds into overtime, Voracek redirected Michael Del Zotto's slap-pass past Cam Ward to lift the Flyers past Carolina, 3-2, and end his 19-game goalless streak.

It was his first goal in 17 games this season.

"It's a big weight off my shoulders," said Voracek, who finished fourth in the NHL with 81 points last season. ". . . And a big win as well."

On the game-winning sequence, Voracek said he and Del Zotto "made eye contact, so I knew what was coming, and it hit my stick and went in."

Voracek paused.

"I almost forgot how that feels," he cracked.

Late in the third period, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere made a sweet move around Chris Terry at the point, getting in position for a wrist shot and showing why Flyers fans have been clamoring for him to play for the big-league team.

Gostisbehere's shot was deflected into the net off Wayne Simmonds' knee, tying the game at 2 with 3 minutes, 9 seconds left in regulation.

"Ghost did tonight what Ghost does," general manager Ron Hextall said.

"That's my comfort zone," Gostisbehere said of his game-changing assist, the first point of his career. "Just try and make plays and not get caught [out of position] too much."

Gostisbehere, playing his first NHL game this season, fired three third-period shots, including two on goal.

"The coaches told me it's [my] time to do what I do," he said. "I took my chance there, and I'm glad it worked out. . . . It was a great play by Simmer [Simmonds]. We were just trying to get pucks to the net, and that's how he makes his living."

Gostisbehere and left winger Taylor Leier were promoted from Lehigh Valley on Saturday. They started slowly, but got stronger in the third period, the Flyers' best session of the night.

"I thought both kids gave a nice account of themselves," said Hextall, who added that winger Ryan White will be reevaluated Sunday after suffering an apparent shoulder injury in the third period.

The Flyers came alive in the third period, firing more shots (11) than in the first two periods combined (seven). They went nearly 28 minutes between shots in the first and second periods.

Leier, making his NHL debut, was stopped by Cam Ward from in close with 13:58 left in the third, keeping Carolina ahead, 2-1. The left winger later used his speed to draw a penalty and give the Flyers their first power play of the night.

The Flyers allowed the game's first goal for the 10th time this season; they had lost the previous nine games.

Carolina made it 2-0 with 14 minutes left in the second as Victor Rask scored a power-play goal on a high shot from deep inside the left circle.

The Flyers went 27:59 between shots in the first and second periods. They got on the board on defenseman Luke Schenn's drive from near the sideboards, beyond the right circle, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 7:58 remaining in the second.

"Huge goal," Gostisbehere said.