Flyers goalie Brian Elliott prepares to make a save on a shot from Adam Fox of the Rangers during Philadelphia’s 2-1 win Saturday. Derik Hamilton/Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Sam Morin was slammed against the boards, suffocated by a mob of his Flyers teammates that smacked his helmet in celebration and wouldn’t let him wiggle free.
Morin’s first NHL goal was a game-winner for a team in desperate need of a win.
The triumph meant so much more for Morin – and his teammates. Morin had persevered through two ACL tears, hours of rehab, a futile position switch in an attempt to revive his career, and just a handful of NHL games.
“It’s the best moment of my life,” the 25-year-old Morin said.
Morin scored with 4:27 left Saturday to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers.
“It’s been a hard couple of years for me,” Morin said.
Nolan Patrick also scored for the Flyers, who badly needed a win against the Rangers. Philadelphia lost 9-0 and 8-3 in its past two meetings with the Rangers.
The Flyers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Morin, the 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft, had never scored a point in 14 career NHL games. The Flyers moved Morin from defense to winger and back to defense during his injury-plagued career.
“I was a bit lost up there,” Morin said of the position change. “I think anyone could tell. I tried my best.”
RED WINGS 3, BLUE JACKETS 1: Adam Erne and Robby Fabbri scored 29 seconds apart in the first period and Calvin Pickard made 21 saves in his first start of the season, helping Detroit win at home.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, AVALANCHE 2: Max Pacioretty scored at 1:56 of overtime to give Vegas a win in Denver.
PENGUINS 6, ISLANDERS 3: Bryan Rust got his fourth career hat trick, Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist and short-handed Pittsburgh won at home.
HURRICANES 4, LIGHTNING 3: Martin Necas scored his second goal of the game to break a tie with 3:53 remaining and Carolina beat visiting Tampa Bay in a matchup between the top two teams in the Central Division.
Dougie Hamilton got an assist on the go-ahead power-play goal by Necas, extending his franchise-record point streak for a defenseman to 14 games.
MAPLE LEAFS 4, OILERS 3: Auston Matthews scored 54 seconds into overtime to lift Toronto past visiting Edmonton for its third straight victory.
PREDATORS 3, BLACKHAWKS 1: Mikael Grunland, Rocco Grimaldi and Ryan Johansen scored, and Nashville won at Chicago for its fourth consecutive win.
PANTHERS 4, STARS 3: Aaron Ekblad scored with 9.3 seconds left in overtime after his apparent winner moments earlier was wiped out by a replay review, and Florida won at Dallas.
Carter Verhaeghe got the Panthers to overtime with a hat trick, and they snapped a three-game losing streak that marked their longest of the season.
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