Pearson scores in shootout, Canucks beat Flyers 3-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Tanner Pearson scored in the shootout, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Pearson beat Philly’s Carter Hart through the pads in the third round to secure the win.

Brock Boeser and Pearson scored for the Canucks in regulation, and Chris Tanev added a pair of assists.

Carsen Twarynski and Oskar Lindblom scored for the Flyers.

Hart stopped 22 of 24 shots in the losing effort. Jacob Markstrom had 29 saves for Vancouver.

The loss was Philadelphia’s first of the season.

The Canucks got on the board just over five minutes in after J.T. Miller picked off the puck behind the Flyers’ net. He got it up to Tanev at the blue line and the veteran defenseman fired off a long shot.

Hart made the save but Boeser was there to grab the rebound. His slap shot beat Hart and put Vancouver up 1-0.

The Flyers got the equalizer 3:14 into the second frame.

Justin Braun sent a cross-ice pass to Twarnyski alone in the Canucks’ end. The left-winger streaked toward Vancouver’s net, sending a shot past Markstrom on the stick side. Braun and Travis Sanheim earned assists.

The Canucks bounced back just over a minute later when Tanev collected the puck near the blue line and sent down a long shot. Pearson deflected it in from down low.

Philly came out strong in the third, peppering Markstrom with a barrage of shots.

One attempt by James van Riemsdyk looked promising, skimming through the crease before Markstrom, flat on his belly, got a piece of it with his glove and directed the puck out of harm’s way.

The Flyers outshot the Canucks 9-1 in the first five minutes of the third.

Lindbolm scored Philly’s second goal of night on the power play at 14:58 into the frame after Vancouver defenseman Jordie Benn was called for interference.

It was the first power-play goal the Canucks have given up this season.

Sanheim rang a shot off the post with about 50 seconds left, but the Flyers couldn’t avoid extra time.

Both sides had opportunities in overtime, including a great chance for Vancouver with just over a minute to go when Philly’s Sean Couturier lost his stick and Bo Horvat got a bit of a breakaway.

Horvat couldn’t burry the puck on the ensuing shot, but Couturier was called for throwing his stick, giving the Canucks a man advantage.

Vancouver still couldn’t score, forcing the shootout.

NOTES: The Canucks had 13 giveaways in the contest, compared to just four from Philly. … Boeser’s goal was his first of the year. The right-winger had 26 goals and 30 assists in 69 outings last season.

UP NEXT

Flyers: At Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Canucks: Host Detroit Red Wings Tuesday.