The Carolina Hurricanes will look to bounce back and maintain their Metropolitan Division lead when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The Hurricanes (44-15-8, 96 points) are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, their third defeat in their past four games. They are one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils in the division, with one game in hand.

“We’re giving up a little too much, Carolina defenseman Brett Pesce said. “Sometimes we’re trying to overdo things instead of just making the simple play. We’ve given up a lot of odd-man rushes in the last three or four games. I think we have to do a better job of cleaning that up.”

Carolina, which is 5-5-0 in its past 10 games, played catch-up all night against Toronto, falling behind 2-0 early.

Playing from behind has been a rarity this season for the Hurricanes, who are 10-11-4 when their opponents score first. Carolina is 34-4-4 when tallying first.

While Philadelphia (25-32-11, 61 points) is near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, the Hurricanes know they have to be ready on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a lot different game, that’s for sure,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We just played them not long ago. It’s going to be a hard-fought game. You’ve got a team that’s out of it but that’s playing for their lives, so to speak, so that’s going to be a different type of game. We have to regroup, obviously.”

The Flyers enter the contest having snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 home win against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, powered by forward Owen Tippett’s first career hat trick.

It was just Philadelphia’s third win in the past 15 games (3-10-2).

“I don’t think we’ve played poorly. I think the effort’s been there,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “We just don’t get the result. No matter where we are, no matter how much it doesn’t matter in the standings as far as the real stuff, playoffs — they put the uniform on, they want to win. So I’m happy they get a result here and a lot of people contributed.”

Tippett, acquired from the Florida Panthers last season in the Claude Giroux trade, is enjoying a career season, with 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 63 games. He had 18 total goals in 115 NHL games heading into the season.

The 24-year-old has seen his ice time steadily increase over the past two months, averaging 19:24 per game since Jan. 26, up from 15:45 earlier in the season. Tippett has made the most of his jump in action, notching eight goals and 11 points in his past 18 games.

“I think getting traded here last year just gave me a new opportunity and a fresh start,” he said. “It’s been great so far, and I love playing in Philly.”

The Saturday game will be the fourth and final meeting of the season between the division foes. The three previous matchups have all been one-goal decisions, with the Hurricanes emerging victorious in each outing.

–Field Level Media

Owen Tippett scored three goals to lift the host Philadelphia Flyers to a dominant 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

Joel Farabee and James van Riemsdyk each added one goal for the Flyers, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo each had two assists for the Flyers. Goaltender Carter Hart made 36 saves.

Victor Olofsson scored two goals for the Sabres, who lost their second straight. Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson stopped 17 shots.

Maple Leafs 5, Hurricanes 2

Zach Aston-Reese scored two goals as Toronto defeated visiting Carolina.

Morgan Rielly added a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, Mitchell Marner and Auston Matthews also scored and John Tavares and Calle Jarnkrok each had two assists. Ilya Samsonov stopped 32 shots as Toronto completed a 2-1-1 homestand.

Brady Skjei and Martin Necas scored for the Hurricanes in the opener of a three-game road trip. Carolina, which got 19 saves from Pyotr Kochetkov, took its third loss in four games.

Blues 5, Capitals 2

Sammy Blais enjoyed his first career two-goal game to lead St. Louis past host Washington. Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have won three of their past five games.

St. Louis’ Jordan Kyrou and Kasperi Kapanen scored, and Brandon Saad earned two assists. Joel Hofer, who came up from Springfield of the AHL to replace the suspended Jordan Binnnington, made 32 saves for the Blues in his first appearance of the season.

Martin Fehervary and Nicklas Backstrom scored and Darcy Kuemper stopped 17 shots for the Capitals, who have won just two of their last six games.

Ducks 7, Blue Jackets 4

Max Jones’ late breakaway goal put Anaheim ahead for good in a wild win over visiting Columbus.

Anaheim gave away the lead four times, resulting in a 4-4 tie nearing the end of regulation. At 17:23 of the third period, Jones intercepted an Andrew Peeke pass attempt and raced down the ice to backhand home the winner. The Ducks then added two empty-net goals.

Scott Harrington had two goals for Anaheim. Ryan Strome and Troy Terry each logged a goal and an assist, and Max Comtois and Trevor Zegras added a goal apiece. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for Columbus. Cole Sillinger, Boone Jenner and Nick Blankenburg also scored.

–Field Level Media

Max Jones’ late breakaway goal put the Anaheim Ducks ahead for good in a wild 7-4 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

Anaheim gave away the lead four times, resulting in a 4-4 tie nearing the end of regulation. At 17:23 of the third period, Jones intercepted an Andrew Peeke pass attempt and raced down the ice. He finished his individual effort with a backhand shot for the game-winner.

The Ducks (23-36-10, 56 points) then added two empty-net goals.

Anaheim has earned points in nine of its last 11 games (6-2-3).

Scott Harrington had two goals, Troy Terry and Ryan Strome each had a goal and an assist, and Simon Benoit had two assists. Trevor Zegras and Max Comtois scored Anaheim’s other goals.

Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal withstood a lot of pressure from the Blue Jackets, stopping 38 of 42 shots.

Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for Columbus (21-40-7, 49 points). Cole Sillinger, Boone Jenner and Nick Blankenburg also scored.

The Blue Jackets are 1-5-1 over their last seven games.

Despite their continual comeback attempts and a 42-38 shots advantage, the Blue Jackets could never take the lead.

The back-and-forth action included highlight-reel goals from each team early in the third period.

At the 2:25 mark, Mason McTavish sent a tremendous cross-ice pass to a wide open Colton White in the circle, and White then quickly passed to Terry in front for the goal.

During a Blue Jackets power play at 6:43 of the third period, Laine took the puck in his own end and raced down the center of the ice, retaining possession amid multiple defenders and scoring.

The Jackets were 2-for-4 on the power play Friday, and have scored at least one power-play goal in seven of their last eight games. Columbus is 9-for-21 with the extra attacker over that eight-game stretch.

Michael Hutchinson stopped 31 of 36 shots.

–Field Level Media