Flyers Surge Past Falling Maple Leafs

Scott Mellanby’s power-play goal early in the third period snapped a 1-1 tie and sparked the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs today.

Toronto lost for the fourth straight game and remained winless in 10 road games this season.

Philadelphia, in second place in the Patrick Division, won its second straight and closed to within five points of the idle New York Rangers.

Mellanby, who has nine goals this season, scored his first at home when he tucked a back-hander between the pads of goalie Peter Ing at 4:03 of the final period.

Rick Tocchet, who had a goal and an assist, dumped a pass to Keith Acton in the slot and Acton found Mellanby alone just outside the goal mouth.

Derrick Smith made it 3-1 when he picked up a loose puck just inside the blue line, skated in and beat Ing to the glove side from the left faceoff circle with 12:13 left in the game.

Dale Kushner scored on a power play with nine seconds to play, slipping a shot under Ing from just outside the crease to end the scoring.

Flyers’ goalie Pete Peeters, making his 10th straight start, made eight saves in the final period and turned back 22 shots in the game.

Toronto took a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds into the game when Luke Richardson slapped a shot from just inside the blue line over Peeters’ left shoulder.

Tocchet tied the game with his team-leading 15th goal. Tocchet took a pass from Pelle Eklund while driving down the slot and slipped a shot between the pads of Ing at 6:44 of the first period.