Samsonov scored with 1:07 left in overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes snapped the Philadelphia Flyers' six-game winning streak 3-2 Friday.
"You try to get as much speed as you can to avoid the pokecheck," Samsonov said of his winning goal. "Once I got to the net, I had more room than I thought, so I just tried to squeeze one by."
Samsonov skated in to the goalmouth and put a forehand shot past goaltender Martin Biron's glove side as the Hurricanes ended their three-game slide.
"Every game seems to be a battle for us," Samsonov explained. "We've been playing from behind a lot lately, so it's not a good thing. We try to stay positive."
The Flyers, who won seven of their previous eight, were denied their longest winning streak since they won eight straight in 1999-2000.
Biron said that Samsonov's move on the deciding goal caught him off-guard.
"I thought that he was going to go around me to the glove side a little further out, but he made a quick shot right away," the goaltender said.
Patrick Dwyer and Tuomo Ruutu also scored for the Hurricanes. Joffrey Lupul and Jeff Carter each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.
Carolina goaltender Cam Ward stopped 24 shots, including brilliant saves on breakaways by Scottie Upshall and Carter late in the first period.
Carolina coach Peter Laviolette noted Ward has been playing well lately.
"He's been real good," Laviolette said. "He's seeing the puck really well and we have to give him a little offensive help."
Biron, who had 27 saves, was shaken up early in the third period when a shot by Eric Staal hit him in the shoulder or collarbone area. His best save came late in the first period when he snared Staal's close-in shot in mid-air.
"I'm getting opportunities, I'm getting shots. They're just not falling," said Staal, who is unhappy because he has not scored in the last four games. "I consider myself an offensive guy. I want to score goals."
Lupul put the Flyers ahead with a power play goal early in the first period when his shot deflected off the stick of Carolina defenseman Joni Pitkanen over the left shoulder of Ward.
The Hurricanes went ahead with a pair of goals within 1:06 late in the second period.
Dwyer deflected a shot by Pitkanen for his first career goal at 15:00. Ruutu followed with a shot from just inside the blue line that bounced off the leg of Philadelphia defenseman Ossi Vannanen.
Carter tied it 2-2 with his league-leading 16th goal with 46 seconds left in the period, streaking in to score on a backhander.
An apparent goal by Mike Richards was disallowed when the Flyers were called for too many men on the ice earlier in the second period.
"We had some great opportunities that we didn't capitalize on," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "We let them (Carolina) hang around and because of that, they end up winning the hockey game."
Notes: The Flyers won the front end of the home-and-home series with the Hurricanes on Wednesday, 3-1. ... The four games between the teams this season take place during a 16 day span ending on Dec. 11. ... Philadelphia C Simon Gagne's career-high nine-game points streak (5 goals, 11 assists) ended. ... Flyers D Vannanen and Carolina C Matt Cullen both hit posts with shots. ... The Flyers have killed off 15 straight penalties and 52 of 54 power plays in the last 10 games.
