The Flyers got off to a dream start, scoring on their first two shots to take a 2-0 lead in the opening 4:30. The first tally was a fluky one, as Kevin Hayes tried to center the puck from behind the net and saw it deflect off CBJ defenseman Andrew Peeke, then Merzlikins before bounding into the net to make it 1-0 at 3:28.
Just 1:02 later, the Flyers had a 2-0 lead. Claude Giroux sprung Sean Couturier on a breakaway with a pass that got through Peeke's legs, and Couturier appeared to partially fan on his shot but it still threw off Merzlikins and slipped through the goalie's legs to make it 2-0.
Philadelphia also got the puck behind Merzlikins a third time as Ivan Provorov scored off a nice Hayes pass on the rush, but Columbus challenged for goaltender interference and won the challenge as Joel Farabee was ruled to have impeded Merzlikins in the crease.
Columbus had just three shots on goal in the first but had 12 in the second, with Flyers goalie Carter Hart making some big early stops on the same shift on Zach Werenski and Bjorkstrand.
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