Brink scores first two NHL goals as Flyers skate past Wild 6-2

Associated Press KSTP

Philadelphia Flyers' Bobby Brink reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bobby Brink scored his first two NHL goals, Sean Couturier, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim each added one and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2 0n Thursday night.

Carter Hart made 26 saves while Cam Atkinson had three assists for Philadelphia (4-2-1).

Dakota Mermis and Marcus Foligno scored for Minnesota (3-3-1) while Filip Gustavsson had 29 saves on the first stop of the Wild’s four-day, three-city trip to the East Coast.

Brink — the 22-year-old rookie who was drafted by the Flyers in 2019 — has been part of the early stages of Philadelphia’s rebuilding efforts. Skating on the third line with Joel Farabee and Noah Cates, Brink has made an immediate impression on Flyers head coach John Tortorella —who has played him in six of Philadelphia’s games this season.

Philadelphia entered Thursday night with a 1 for 20 mark on the power play — the worst in the NHL through the season’s first two-plus weeks. On Thursday, they went 2 for 3 with two goals coming midway through the second period to break the game open.

First, Couturier slid a loose puck in front past Gustavsson’s extended left pad for his second goal after missing the entire 2022-23 season with two back surgeries. Brink followed less than three minutes later with his first NHL goal off a loose puck in front of the Minnesota net.

The Wild mounted pressure in the third with two quick goals in the first 4:30 of the period, highlighted by Foligno’s conversion of a Marcus Johansson pass past the sprawled Hart.

The momentum was snuffed out two minutes later when Atkinson forced a steal at the defensive blue line and passed to Tippett on a breakaway. Brink followed with his second goal of the night on a pass from Farabee four minutes later.

UP NEXT:

Wild: Travel to Washington on Friday night.

Flyers: Host Anaheim on Saturday afternoon.

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