In another tight, who-blinks-first kind of game, the Flyers picked up a 2-1 overtime win Tuesday night over the Red Wings at the Wells Fargo Center.
Rasmus Ristolainen scored the OT winner with 26 seconds left. Joel Farabee netted the Flyers' other goal and assisted Ristolainen's marker.
The Flyers (22-20-6) are on a season-best six-game point streak (5-0-1). They've outscored opponents 22-10 over the run. Since their 1-5-1 start to the season, they've gone 21-15-5.
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"I think the way we played early in the season probably wasn't reflective of the team that we are," general manager Danny Briere said at morning skate. "There are many reasons for that, but the way we've played, especially lately, I think we're starting to see our identity kind of come back."
John Tortorella's club improved to 11-4-6 in games decided by one goal and 9-6 after regulation.
"I think as a young team, we're learning to play those tight games, be patient, not open up and give in," Sean Couturier said. "These are good learning experiences. We're finding ways to get results, so it's always rewarding. It's nice for the confidence; we've just got to build on that."
The Flyers went 2-1-0 against the Red Wings (21-21-5) in their regular-season series.
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More: Briere says Flyers are 'not shopping' Ristolainen, but have received calls
• Samuel Ersson made 27 saves on 28 shots.
Detroit cracked him 30 seconds into the third period to tie the game at 1-1 with a goal from Ben Chiarot. The Flyers' reliable line of Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates and Bobby Brink was on the ice for it.
Ersson survived a bit of a scare later in the period when he came out to play a puck and turned it over to the Red Wings. However, Detroit failed to execute on a 2-on-1 as Ersson hustled back to his net.
The 25-year-old also made some strong saves in the final stanza. He has really found his game for the Flyers, going 7-1-0 with a 1.56 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and one shutout since the holiday break.
"Ers has steadied himself, looks so much more confident," Tortorella said. "He's not busy. When I evaluate Ers, in my mind, just watching him play, when he's not busy and the puck's hitting him, you can tell he's there. He made some key saves at the end to give us an opportunity."
Alex Lyon, who spent five seasons in the Flyers' organization, mostly with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, stopped 24 of 26 shots for the Red Wings.
• Matvei Michkov took a hit to make a play on Farabee's game-opening goal in the second period.
It was an excellent secondary assist, giving Michkov a point in five of the last six games. The 20-year-old rookie has 14 goals and 20 assists through 46 games.
For Farabee, he has four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-5 mark in three games since coming back from his three-game benching. Couturier has played well in that stretch, too, putting up four points (one goal, three assists) in the last three games.
"It's nice to see Coots' line grow a little bit here," Tortorella said.
• At 29 years old, Rodrigo Abols made his NHL debut after being called up from the Phantoms. The 6-foot-4 Latvian center signed with the Flyers last summer. He had spent the previous four seasons playing overseas.
"When I'm done with hockey," Abols said Monday, "I'm glad at least I came here and gave it another shot."
He fit in well centering Olle Lycksell and Garnet Hathaway on the fourth line and played 10:39 minutes.
"I liked him," Tortorella said. "I think he understands the game. Big guy, I think we need to get bigger as a team as we move along here. He asked the right questions. I thought he handled himself really well."
Abols' wife Paula and their 3-year-old son Aleksi were in attendance.
"Me and my wife were laughing about it, it's not your ordinary debut when you have a wife and a 3-year-old in the stands cheering you on for the solo lap," Abols said. "Hopefully I can inspire someone. I've always looked at Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who actually came here, as well, in Philly. He had kind of a similar story — played in Sweden, came over here and carved out a good NHL career. Hopefully I can do something similar."
Abols drew into the lineup for Scott Laughton, who was unavailable because of a personal family matter.
• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they visit Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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