Konecny and Vladar lead Flyers to 3-1 win over Predators

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist to lead the Philadelphia Flyers past the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Thursday night.

Matvei Michkov and Noah Cates also scored for the Flyers, and Dan Vladar made 23 saves.

Ryan O’Reilly scored and Juuse Saros stopped 23 shots for Nashville, which had its three-game point streak snapped.

Vladar improved to 5-0-1 against the Predators. He beat Nashville 4-1 at home a week ago in the opener of the two-game season series.

O’Reilly scored at 1:44 of the first period. Filip Forsberg’s shot from the high slot deflected off Philadelphia defenseman Jamie Drysdale and then O’Reilly’s shoulder before getting by Vladar.

O’Reilly has 26 points in 28 career games against the Flyers.

Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg also assisted on the goal, extending his point streak to a career-high four games.

Early in the second, Cam York slid a pass from below the Nashville goal line on the left side to Michkov in the low slot, where he beat Saros with a wrist shot for his second goal of the season.

York had two assists.

The Flyers selected Michkov seventh overall in the 2023 draft held in Nashville.

Cates made it 2-1 with 2:23 remaining in the second when he collected the rebound of Drysdale's shot and tapped it by Saros, extending his point streak to three games.

Konecny added an empty-net goal with just over a minute remaining in the third. He has at least one point in six straight games.

Philadelphia held Nashville to just three shots on goal in the final period.

Flyers: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Predators: Host the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl