Kevin Hayes scored 3:51 into overtime, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Thursday night to sweep the home-and-home series between Metropolitan Division contenders.
Philadelphia trailed 3-1 before Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Claude Giroux scored 1:26 apart in the second period. After a scoreless third, Hayes snapped a shot from the slot past Elvis Merzlikins for his 19th of the season.
The Flyers, who routed the Blue Jackets 5-1 on Tuesday, are in third place in the Metro with 75 points, four behind Pittsburgh. Columbus has dropped seven in a row, but it has the first wild card spot, one point ahead of the New York Islanders and Carolina.
Columbus Blue Jackets' Stefan Matteau, left, and Philadelphia Flyers' Mark Friedman chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)
Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist for Philadelphia, which improved to 12-5-2 in its last 19 games dating to Jan. 7. Brian Elliott had 28 saves.
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nick Foligno each had a goal and an assist for Columbus. Stefan Matteau scored his first goal in more than four years, and Merzlikins had 29 saves.
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Columbus Blue Jackets' Gustav Nyquist, left, of Sweden, tries to control the puck against Philadelphia Flyers' Robert Hagg, also of Sweden, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)
Philadelphia Flyers' Matt Niskanen, front left, checks Columbus Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)