BOSTON -- Zac Rinaldo created havoc and it almost led to a general wrecking of the Flyers on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
The Flyers rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Bruins, 5-4, in overtime and salvaged two points in their back-to-back games. Claude Giroux scored in OT on the power play.
Wayne Simmonds' wrister from the left circle at 10:24 made it 4-4, as the Flyers erased a two-goal deficit in the third period. R.J. Umberger gave him a nifty backhanded pass.
Rinaldo threw a dirty hit on Sean Couturier with a first-period head shot that earned him a five-minute major for charging, game misconduct and a suspension to come from the NHL — count on it.
Prior to the Rinaldo hit, starting goalie Michal Neuvirth was injured when he was struck on the face by Patrice Bergeron’s stick that resulted in a late goal. Steve Mason came out for the start of the second period and finished the game in net.
The Flyers came out tepid in the second period during that power play and allowed a shorthanded goal to break a 2-2 tie.
Claude Giroux had a poor start. His early turnover led to one Bruins first-period goal, and later in the period his careless high-stick resulted in a four-minute Boston power play and subsequent goal by Bergeron that made it a 2-2 game.
The Flyers had lost five straight games here in TD Garden and had not won since Oct. 6, 2011.
Third period
Giroux scored on a wrister at 7:28, moments after Mason had a critical roll-over save on David Pastrnak that went to review.
Notable saves
Neuvirth had three tough saves on Torey Krug in the first period and then denied Rinaldo nine minutes into the game. Off transition from that save, the Flyers scored with Chris VandeVelde feeding the puck backhanded from behind the net to the slot where Pierre-Edouard Bellemare cut diagonally and backhanded his own rebound past Tuukka Rask.
Turnover goal
A terrible no-look pass from Giroux in his own end led to a tying goal from Brett Connolly in the first period. Neuvirth made the initial stop on Bergeron, but Connolly buried the rebound for a 1-1 game.
Notable goals
Sam Gagner was announced as a healthy scratch at the morning skate but played because of Brayden Schenn’s injury and lineup withdrawal. Gagner snapped a shot from the left circle past Rask moments after Connolly’s goal for a 2-1 lead.
Goalie report
Neuvirth’s shutout streak ended at 145:33 on Connolly’s goal.
Power play
It was atrocious until they had a 4-on-3 overtime. The Flyers had zero shots on their five-minute power play to open the second period.
Shorthanded goal
Boston had two shots on the Flyers' five-minute power play and scored on the second on Chris Kelly’s tip in front of Mason.
Penalty kill
Obviously, Boston was better with its shorthanded goal.
Injuries
Brayden Schenn was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. He was upended by Antoine Roussel in the loss to Dallas and came down hard on his left shoulder. Couturier, who might have a concussion, and Neuvirth.
Scratches
Forward Vinny Lecavalier and defenseman Brandon Manning. Both were healthy.
Up next
The Flyers should have an off day on Thursday. They host the New York Rangers on Saturday night.