PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Hayes scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period short-handed to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

Robert Hagg and Travis Konecny also scored for the Flyers, who improved their NHL-best home record to 14-2-4. The Flyers returned to Philadelphia after a disappointing six-game trip in which they lost 5 of 6 and allowed 27 goals in the defeats.

Carter Hart made 26 saves for Philadelphia, improving his home mark to 12-1-2.

The Flyers, who were home for the first time in 16 days, play the next two and 5 of 6 in Philadelphia.

Jakub Vrana and Nicklas Backstrom scored for Washington, and Braden Holtby finished with 24 saves. The Capitals, who entered with an NHL-best 65 points, had won three straight and 14 of the last 19.

Hayes put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with the only goal of the second, scoring on a breakaway with 2:18 left in the period. Hayes deked to his backhand to beat Holtby for his 13th of the season.

JETS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 3: Blake Wheeler scored the deciding goal in the shootout as Winnipeg won at Toronto.

Toronto tied the game with 14 seconds left in regulation when Auston Matthews scored his 31st goal.

NOTES

FLAMES: The Calgary Flames and defenseman Rasmus Andersson have agreed to a six-year, $27.3 million contract extension.

Andersson, 23, has three goals, nine assists and 33 penalty minutes in 44 games for Calgary this season – his second full season with the NHL club.

HURRICANES: Justin Williams is back with the Hurricanes. The question now is how long it will take him to be ready for game action.

The 38-year-old former captain said he isn’t sure exactly when he’ll be ready to play, though he has been skating and working out in hopes of easing the transition back to the ice after he stepped away from the sport last fall.

“Roddy and I, we’ll talk through it,” Williams said of Coach Rod Brind’Amour. “It’s in our hands now. I’m just going to, as I said, work my way back to where I feel comfortable and Roddy feels I’m comfortable to play.

“Listen, you can’t put a time on it. Just whenever it happens, it happens. We’ve got a great forward core and hopefully I can find a hole somewhere.”

Williams appeared at a news conference with team owner Tom Dundon along with president and general manager Don Waddell, saying he didn’t want to be a distraction as he rejoins the teams and continues work to get ready.

“Throughout these last few months, I just knew that maybe perhaps I wanted to come back, I still wasn’t sure,” Williams said. “But if I was going to come back, I knew had to do something. I just couldn’t come right off the couch and hop into an NHL dressing room and think I could do that.
“I’m no dummy. I know that to be elite and play against the world’s best, you can’t just come off the couch after not playing for six months.”