Thomas Harley's 2nd goal seconds into OT gives Stars a 3-2 win over the Flyers

DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Thomas Harley scored his second goal of the game nine seconds into overtime, giving the Dallas Stars a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Defenseman Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars, who are 9-0-1 in their last 10 home games. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to record his seventh consecutive home win and 32nd overall, third in the NHL. Harley's second score was the fifth regular-season overtime goal of his career.

Travis Konecny and Ryan Poehling scored for the Flyers, who are 0-3-1 in their last four games and 1-8-1 in their last 10.

Poehling, a boyhood friend of Oettinger in Lakeville, Minnesota, won the opening faceoff in OT. The puck came back to Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who entered in the second period with a 2-0 deficit and played 40 minutes of shutout hockey stopping 15 shots. Ersson’s clearing attempt to Travis Sanheim just to the right of the net was intercepted by Jason Robertson, who fed Harley for the fastest overtime goal in franchise history.

Flyers: Konecny ended an 11-game goal drought. Calder Trophy candidate Matvei Michkov had an assist, his first point in seven games. Ivan Fedotov was pulled after making one first-period save and allowing goals on Dallas’ first two shots on goal.

Stars: Harley has eight goals and 20 points in 18 games since top defenseman Miro Heiskanen was sidelined with a knee injury.

With Dallas leading 2-1 late in the second period, Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae cleared a puck that was moving over the goal line after Ersson made a sprawling pad save on Matt Duchene. A video review determined the puck didn’t entirely cross the line.

The Stars have gone past regulation in their last four games — two overtime wins and splitting two shootouts.

The Flyers complete a road back-to-back Sunday at Chicago. The Stars finish a four-game homestand Monday against Minnesota.

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

Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) speaks to the referee after a replay review during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger controls the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) shoots during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars right wing Evgenii Dadonov (63) shoots during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) prepares during a face-off against the Dallas Stars during an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Travis Konecny, back center, celebrates scoring with teammates Matvei Michkov, back left, and Travis Sanheim, right, during an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell, center, celebrates scoring in the first period alongside teammates Cody Ceci, left, and Mikael Granlund (64) during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) celebrates a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period of NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets fired coach Dean Evason and named hockey-lifer Rick Bowness as his replacement on Monday.

Evason is the first NHL coach fired this season. General manager Don Waddell announced the abrupt change with his team sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference 45 games into the season with a record of 19-19-7.

“This season has been a frustrating one for all of us and the bottom line is we are not performing at a level that meets our expectations," Waddell said. "We all share in that responsibility, me included, and while this was not a decision that was made lightly, it is one that needed to be made at this time. Dean did a tremendous job last year under extremely difficult circumstances, and I thank him for that."

Assistant Steve McCarthy, who had been with the organization for nearly a decade, was also fired.

Bowness is back in the league after he retired in the spring of 2024, ending a stint with the Winnipeg Jets. Bowness, who coached Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2020 pandemic bubble, turns 71 on Jan. 25.

“Rick Bowness is a tremendous coach with invaluable experience and knowledge, and he will bring a steadiness to our team at an important juncture in our season,” Waddell said. “He is a good communicator whose teams play with structure, are sound defensively and we believe he is the right person to bring out the best in our group.”

Bowness during his lengthy career has been head coach for seven different teams, dating to the original Jets in 1988. He did some broadcasting with TNT since stepping away from his most recent job in Winnipeg.

Evason was just past the midway point of his second season in charge of the Blue Jackets. Waddell’s first order of business upon becoming GM was to fire then-coach Pascal Vincent and put Evason behind the bench.

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

FILE - Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness yells during the first period of Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round playoff series April 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Columbus Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason watches his team during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Columbus, Ohio, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)