WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

04/05 17:48 CDT Porter Martone's OT power-play goal lifts Flyers past Bruins 2-1, keeps playoff push alive Porter Martone's OT power-play goal lifts Flyers past Bruins 2-1, keeps playoff push alive By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) --- Porter Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal in the NHL to put the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The 19-year-old Martone --- who just wrapped his season at Michigan State --- is just the boost the Flyers needed down the stretch to earn that coveted playoff spot. His first career NHL goal in his fourth game put the Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division with five games left for them this season. Flyers fans erupted when Martone capitalized on the man advantage --- courtesy of David Pastrnak's hooking penalty --- with 2:29 left in OT. The Flyers needed this win to get in Eastern Conference playoff position for the first time since Jan. 12. The Bruins tied the score 1-1 only 35 seconds into the third period when Pavel Zacha knocked one past Dan Vladar on the power play for his 29th goal of the season. Christian Dvorak took a perfect touch pass from Martone, the Flyers' 2025 first-round draft pick, and finished a 2-on-1 with a wrister past Joonas Korpisalo for the early 1-0 lead. Still buzzing from the early goal, Flyers fans erupted only moments later when Travis Konecny and Boston's Charlie McAvoy briefly scrapped near the net. Officials had to separate the teams again and McAvoy was whistled for 2 minutes for roughing as the horn sounded on the end of the first period. The Flyers are playing meaningful hockey in the final week of the season for one of the few times over the past 15 seasons. Chicago beat Philadelphia in 2010 for the Stanley Cup, and the Flyers never recovered, winning only three playoff series since and they haven't made it all since 2020 in the bubble format. The Flyers haven't played a home playoff series since 2018. The Bruins are safe in a playoff spot down the stretch while the Flyers play five pivotal games --- the next three on the road, the final two at home --- that will decide their postseason fate.

Up next Bruins: Play Tuesday at Carolina. Flyers: Play Tuesday at New Jersey. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl