I hate 3 point games, I hate them. Why is a 4-1 win regulation worth a total of 2 points but a 3-2 win in OT worth a total of 3? That is just stupid.

Some people hate OV’s celebrations, I actually don’t mind them for 78 games, the 4 games against the Flyers I’m not a fan.

OV’s Jimi Hendrix burning stick celebration was for his 50th goal, who cares it was fun so chill you bunch of old ninnies.

Two 18 year old D-men Drew Doughty and Zack Bogosian are playing over 22 minutes a night and playing great, that is amazing.

The lull between the trade deadline and playoffs seem pretty boring except for 2 or 3 teams in the race for the 8th playoff spot. Not sure what the NHL can do but it seems many teams are going through the motions right now.

What is going on with Carey Price, maybe he isn’t that good but I swear he is.

This Crosby kid sure is pretty good when he has an NHL winger or two on his line.

Is there an age when farts stop being funny? I want to get them all in before that.

Seems the trade deadline was good for some players as many are thriving on their new teams such as Guerin, Kunitz, Jokinen and Upshall to name a few.

I look at the Ducks roster and I can’t figure out how they are on the outside looking in, not sure I’d want to play them in the playoffs.

The Bruins on the other hand I would have no issue playing, there are sliding.

T.J. “couldn’t shoot the puck in the ” Oshie.  That’s not true actually the kid is going to be good. For the record I hate the name T.J.  It just bugs me.

Olli Jokinen and Jerome Iginla a match made in Mike Keenan heaven, these two are made to play on the same line.

Ray Whitney has 15 points in his last 9 games, the guy gets better with age.

Anybody notice Frodo and Billbo have come out of hiding!! Briere and Gagner are both picking it up and are finally healthy.

Well I guess it’s a dunk but how about that landing.

Have a great week end hooligans.

3/3/09 4-2 Win SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 0 1 3 - - 4 BOS 1 0 1 - - 2 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 10 7 10 - - 27 BOS 11 6 7 - - 24

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Simon Gagne scored twice and set up another tally, as the Philadelphia Flyers used a three-goal third period to upend the Boston Bruins, 4-2, at TD Banknorth Garden.

Mike Knuble registered a goal and two assists in his 800th career game, while Scottie Upshall also found the net for the Flyers, who snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the sixth time in their last nine games. Antero Niittymaki was solid between the pipes for Philadelphia, making 22 saves to improve his record to 15-5-5 on the season.

“Boston’s a big physical team and if you don’t get involved physically you’re not going to get hits and you have to get on top of people,” said Flyers coach John Stevens. “They’re a very good offensive team and I think the best way to check any good offensive team is to get involved physically. I think we did that tonight.”

Patrice Bergeron and Stephane Yelle both notched a power-play goal for the East-leading Bruins, who have been struggling recently, losing eight of their last 11 games. Manny Fernandez allowed four goals on 26 shots in defeat.

Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward says they came out flat.

“I thought prior to the game we looked like we had some jump,” said Ward. “It looked like we had some emotion in our locker room, on the ice, but we just came out flat. Our second effort wasn’t there.”

Boston drew first blood with the man advantage. Bergeron positioned himself in the left circle and he one-timed Zdeno Chara’s pass between the right pad of Niittymaki and the far post with 5:35 to play in the opening frame.

Upshall evened things up at the 1:49 mark of the second period, stealing the puck just inside the Boston blueline and beating Fernandez with a wrister.

The Flyers took a 2-1 lead at 2:22 of the third period when Andrew Alberts’ wrister from the left point was redirected down low by Gagne.

Knuble then provided some much-needed insurance, driving to the slot and hammering a nifty no-look pass by Gagne past Fernandez at 5:43.

Gagne cemented the win on the power play with 3:34 left in the game.

Yelle scored in the final minute for Boston, but it was too little, too late.

Game Notes

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who leads all Flyers defensemen with 30 points this season, returned to the lineup for Philadelphia after missing the previous four games with the flu…Mike Richards had two assists for Philadelphia…The Flyers begin a five-game homestand Thursday against Calgary…Boston is 2-1-1 on a six-game residency that continues Thursday against Phoenix.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary
BOS 14:25 Power-Play Goal scored by Patrice Bergeron (7) Assisted by Zdeno Chara (23) and Marc Savard (50)

Penalty Summary

PHI 2:48 2 minute penalty on Joffrey Lupul for Hooking
BOS 6:17 2 minute penalty on Michael Ryder for Tripping
PHI 12:34 2 minute penalty on for Too Many Men
BOS 16:20 2 minute penalty on Dennis Wideman for High-sticking
2nd Period

Scoring Summary
PHI 1:49 Goal scored by Scottie Upshall (7)

Penalty Summary

BOS 6:57 2 minute penalty on Zdeno Chara for Roughing
BOS 6:57 2 minute penalty on Zdeno Chara for Roughing
PHI 6:57 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Slashing
BOS 11:18 2 minute penalty on Matt Hunwick for High-sticking
PHI 14:47 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Boarding

3rd Period

Scoring Summary
PHI 2:22 Goal scored by Simon Gagne (25) Assisted by Andrew Alberts (11) and Michael Knuble (17)
PHI 5:43 Goal scored by Michael Knuble (22) Assisted by Simon Gagne (32) and Mike Richards (39)
PHI 16:26 Power-Play Goal scored by Simon Gagne (26) Assisted by Mike Richards (40) and Michael Knuble (18)
BOS 19:18 Power-Play Goal scored by Stephane Yelle (7) Assisted by Mark Stuart (7) and Byron Bitz (3)

Penalty Summary

PHI 6:33 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Roughing
BOS 15:32 2 minute penalty on Chuck Kobasew for Stick Holding
PHI 18:30 2 minute penalty on Jeff Carter for Tripping

2/27/09 4-3 OT Loss SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total MON 3 0 0 1 - 4 PHI 2 1 0 0 - 3 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total MON 14 5 12 5 - 36 PHI 11 18 8 1 - 38

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Mathieu Schneider scored on the power play 3:21 into overtime, as the Montreal Canadiens took a 4-3 decision from the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wachovia Center.

Montreal got a power play due to an interference call on Scottie Upshall, and it took advantage. Antero Niittymaki initially made some great glove saves, but Schneider blasted a shot from the right circle past the goaltender’s glove for the win.

Alex Kovalev finished with a goal and two assists for Montreal, which has won three straight on the heels of a three-game slide. Tomas Plekanec and Tom Kostopoulos also scored, while Jaroslav Halak made 35 saves to earn the victory.

Joffrey Lupul, Simon Gagne and Mike Richards all scored for the Flyers, who had won five of six coming into the game. Niittymaki allowed four goals on 36 shots to take the loss.

Philadelphia was dreadful on the power play, going 0-for-8 in the contest. Montreal converted on 2-of-5 chances.

The Flyers wasted no time getting on the board. On the first shift of the game, Lupul gathered a loose rebound in front of the net and deposited the puck past a sprawled-out Halak just 28 seconds into the contest.

Glen Metropolit, who was claimed by the Canadiens off waivers from the Flyers on Friday, went in for a breakaway after a penalty about five minutes into the first period, but Niittymaki made an outstanding glove save to keep the Habs off the board.

Richards put the Flyers ahead by two at the 8:14 mark of the first, when he forced a turnover at the right circle and fired a quick wrist shot over Halak’s shoulder.

Montreal tied the game with two goals in 13 seconds late in the opening frame. Plekanec made it 2-1 on a power play goal with 3:35 left, firing a shot from the slot, and a wraparound goal by Kostopoulos shortly thereafter tied the game.

Kovalev gave the Canadiens a 3-2 lead going to the first intermission, as his wrister from the right circle bounced off Niittymaki’s right shoulder and into the net with 1:31 showing on the clock.

Gagne, like Metropolit, found himself on a breakaway right after serving a penalty late in the second period. Unlike his former teammate, Gagne tucked the puck under Halak’s pads to tie the game with 6:17 left in the frame.

Niittymaki’s 12 saves in the third period, along with Halak’s eight saves, sent the game to overtime.

Game Notes

Kovalev’s 28 lifetime goals against the Flyers are the most among active players…The Canadiens won the season series, 3-1…In addition to losing Metropolit, the Flyers also gave up defenseman Ossi Vaananan to waivers, and he was claimed by Vancouver…Flyers forward Scott Hartnell earned his 300th career point with an assist in the first period, and Jeff Carter extended his point streak to four with an assist in the opening frame for Philadelphia.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary

PHI 0:28 Goal scored by Joffrey Lupul (18) Assisted by Scott Hartnell (24) and Jeff Carter (29)
PHI 8:14 Goal scored by Mike Richards (24)
MON 16:25 Power-Play Goal scored by Tomas Plekanec (17) Assisted by Mathieu Schneider (13) and Alexei Kovalev (30)
MON 16:38 Goal scored by Tom Kostopoulos (7) Assisted by Max Pacioretty (7)
MON 18:29 Goal scored by Alexei Kovalev (15) Assisted by Tomas Plekanec (17) and Josh Gorges (13)

Penalty Summary

MON 3:26 2 minute penalty on Glen Metropolit for High-sticking
MON 14:12 2 minute penalty on Mike Komisarek for Tripping
PHI 16:02 2 minute penalty on Braydon Coburn for Hooking
2nd Period

Scoring Summary
PHI 13:43 Goal scored by Simon Gagne (24)

Penalty Summary

MON 1:13 2 minute penalty on Tomas Plekanec for Interference
MON 1:33 2 minute penalty on Saku Koivu for Slashing
MON 8:58 2 minute penalty on Maxim Lapierre for Hooking
MON 8:58 2 minute penalty on Mike Komisarek for High-sticking
PHI 8:58 2 minute penalty on Joffrey Lupul for High-sticking
PHI 11:10 2 minute penalty on Simon Gagne for Unsportsmanlike conduct
MON 17:18 2 minute penalty on Gregory Stewart for High-sticking
MON 18:43 2 minute penalty on Roman Hamrlik for High-sticking
PHI 19:59 2 minute penalty on Jeff Carter for Slashing

3rd Period

Scoring Summary
No Scoring This Period

Penalty Summary

MON 9:18 2 minute penalty on Andrei Markov for Hooking
PHI 14:30 2 minute penalty on Matt Carle for Hooking

OT Scoring Summary

MON 3:21 Power-Play Goal scored by Mathieu Schneider (7) Assisted by Alexei Kovalev (31) and Saku Koivu (23)

Penalty Summary

PHI 2:21 2 minute penalty on Scottie Upshall for Goaltender Interference

2/15/09 5-2 Win SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 1 4 0 - - 5 NYR 0 1 1 - - 2 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 9 9 2 - - 20 NYR 7 18 12 - - 37

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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New York, NY (Sports Network) – Rookie forward Claude Giroux scored a goal and set up two more, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a resounding 5-2 win over the slumping New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Mike Richards, Matt Carle, Mike Knuble and Glen Metropolit also tallied for the Flyers, who have won four of their last five games. Martin Biron stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced.

Lauri Korpikoski and Nikolai Zherdev each had a goal for the Rangers, who are 1-5-2 in their last eight games. Henrik Lundqvist got the start for New York and was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 14 shots. Steve Valiquette made five saves the rest of the way.

Giroux was the lone player to turn on the red light in the first period. It all started with a great effort from Scottie Upshall. Lundqvist had turned away a Darroll Powe offering and dove to cover up the rebound at the side of the net. However, the scrappy Upshall swooped in and got to the puck first, backhanding it blindly through the slot. Giroux gathered the feed and rifled the puck home before Lundqvist could recover at the 8:12 mark.

The Flyers grabbed a 2-0 lead courtesy of Richard’s short-handed breakaway goal while killing a two-man advantage. Scott Hartnell was called for slashing in the dying seconds of the opening frame and Jeff Carter went off for tripping 19 seconds into the second period. A turnover, though, by the home team resulted in an outlet pass from Braydon Coburn to Richards, who skated in alone down the middle and fired a wrister past the glove of Lundqvist at 1:18.

Philadelphia then lit the lamp three times in a span of 1:49.

Carle roofed the puck over Lundqvist’s shoulder at 7:03, then Metropolit scored 54 seconds later, chasing Lundqvist from the crease. Knuble then one- timed a backhand pass from Giroux behind Valiquette at 8:52.

During Saturday’s home win against the Islanders, Philadelphia scored three goals in a 67-second span.

Korpikoski put New York on the board with 7:35 remaining in the second period, and Zherdev redirected a point shot by Wade Redden at the 9:39 mark of the third period.

Game Notes

Philadelphia leads the NHL in short-handed goals with 14, while the Rangers have given up the most (14)…Despite the setback, New York has still won eight of the last 12 meetings with the Flyers…Philadelphia is 14-9-6 as the guest this year…The Rangers are 17-9-3 as the host.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary
PHI 8:12 Goal scored by Claude Giroux (3) Assisted by Scottie Upshall (14) and Darroll Powe (3)

Penalty Summary
PHI 10:26 2 minute penalty on Simon Gagne for Tripping
NYR 13:24 2 minute penalty on Michal Rozsival for Interference
NYR 18:32 2 minute penalty on Markus Naslund for Holding
PHI 19:50 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Slashing

2nd Period

Scoring Summary

PHI 1:18 Short-Handed Goal scored by Mike Richards (20) Assisted by Braydon Coburn (15)
PHI 7:03 Goal scored by Matt Carle (5) Assisted by Claude Giroux (6) and Scott Hartnell (21)
PHI 7:57 Goal scored by Glen Metropolit (3) Assisted by Riley Cote (2)
PHI 8:52 Goal scored by Mike Knuble (19) Assisted by Claude Giroux (7) and Simon Gagne (28)
NYR 12:25 Goal scored by Lauri Korpikoski (5) Assisted by Ryan Callahan (8) and Wade Redden (16)

Penalty Summary

PHI 0:19 2 minute penalty on Jeff Carter for Tripping
NYR 12:30 2 minute penalty on Colton Orr for Unsportsmanlike conduct
NYR 12:30 10 minute penalty on Colton Orr for Misconduct
PHI 15:32 2 minute penalty on Claude Giroux for Tripping
NYR 16:17 2 minute penalty on Marc Staal for Cross-checking
PHI 17:12 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Goaltender Interference
PHI 19:18 5 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Fighting
NYR 19:18 5 minute penalty on Brandon Dubinsky for Fighting

3rd Period

Scoring Summary
NYR 9:39 Goal scored by Nikolai Zherdev (16) Assisted by Wade Redden (17) and Petr Prucha (4)

Penalty Summary

PHI 6:14 5 minute penalty on Arron Asham for Fighting
NYR 6:14 5 minute penalty on Paul Mara for Fighting
PHI 6:14 10 minute penalty on Riley Cote for Misconduct

2/14/09 5-1 Win SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total NYI 0 0 1 - - 1 PHI 2 0 3 - - 5 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total NYI 16 11 12 - - 39 PHI 17 7 10 - - 34

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Scott Hartnell was one of five different goal scorers, as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Islanders, 5-1, at the Wachovia Center.

Matt Carle, Claude Giroux, Simon Gagne and Arron Asham also scored for the Flyers, who have won three of their last four games.

With Antero Niittymaki the latest player to be bitten by the stubborn flu bug, Martin Biron started between the pipes for Philadelphia, looking to snap a personal four-game losing streak. Biron made 38 saves to earn his first win since January 10 and extend his winning streak over the Islanders to 10 straight.

“Marty (Biron) looked solid,” said Flyers head coach John Stevens. “His balance looked good and it looked like his confidence was coming back.”

Andy Hilbert provided the lone marker for New York, which is dead last in the NHL with just 38 points on the year. Yann Danis allowed five goals on 34 shots in defeat.

The Flyers struck for a pair of quick tallies in the first period.

Scottie Upshall skated into the slot and backhanded the puck blindly over to the left side of the net to an uncovered Giroux, who lit the lamp at the five- minute mark.

Jeff Carter then took a feed from Joffrey Lupul and drifted to the middle of the right circle before firing a wrister that was deflected down low by Hartnell 44 seconds later.

With time winding down in the middle stanza, New York’s Sean Bergenheim was denied on a breakaway, one of Biron’s 11 saves in the frame to preserve the two-goal lead.

Hilbert put the Islanders on the board at the 6:15 mark of the third period, firing a wrister over the glove of Biron, then Philadelphia blew the game open with three goals in a 67-second span.

Danis turned away a point shot by Carle and New York defenseman Chris Campoli hastily tried to clear the rebound, which went off a teammate in the low slot and trickled across the goal line at 9:10.

Thirteen seconds later, Asham had his intended pass to Upshall bounce off a New York player and slide past the bewildered Isles netminder. Gagne was then hooked from behind on a breakaway and scored on the subsequent penalty shot, capping the outburst at 10:17.

Game Notes

The Flyers have won eight consecutive games against the Islanders dating back to March 1, 2008 and have taken 11 of the last 12 meetings…Islanders center Mike Comrie appeared in the 500th game of his career…New York fell to 4-11-2 since the start of January…The Flyers have won 10 of their last 13 games at home…Gagne has converted all three of his career penalty shot chances.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary

PHI 5:00 Goal scored by Claude Giroux (2) Assisted by Scottie Upshall (13) and Andrew Alberts (10)
PHI 5:44 Goal scored by Scott Hartnell (21) Assisted by Jeff Carter (25) and Joffrey Lupul (17)

Penalty Summary

NYI 5:06 5 minute penalty on Tim Jackman for Fighting
PHI 5:06 5 minute penalty on Arron Asham for Fighting
PHI 14:07 2 minute penalty on Scottie Upshall for Roughing

2nd Period

Scoring Summary
No Scoring This Period

3rd Period

Scoring Summary
NYI 6:15 Goal scored by Andy Hilbert (10) Assisted by Jack Hillen (2) and Sean Bergenheim (5)
PHI 9:10 Goal scored by Matt Carle (4)
PHI 9:23 Goal scored by Arron Asham (4)
PHI 10:17 Goal scored by Simon Gagne (22)

Penalty Summary

NYI 14:51 2 minute penalty on Brendan Witt for Hooking
PHI 16:39 2 minute penalty on Jeff Carter for Hooking

2/8/09 3-2 Win SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 1 1 1 - - 3 ATL 0 0 2 - - 2 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 12 5 6 - - 23 ATL 12 9 10 - - 31

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) – Jeff Carter scored twice and added an assist, as the Philadelphia Flyers continued their mastery of Atlanta with a 3-2 win over the Thrashers at Philips Arena.

Joffrey Lupul also tallied and Scott Hartnell recorded two helpers for the Flyers, who extended their incredible winning streak over the Thrashers to 14 straight games. Antero Niittymaki made 29 saves to improve his record on the season to 13-4-4.

The Finnish netminder is now a perfect 13-0-0 in his career versus Atlanta. Niittymaki is one of only two active goalies in the NHL with an unblemished record in at least 10 decisions against one team. Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings is 17-0-0 against the Lightning.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Vyacheslav Kozlov each scored a power-play goal for the Thrashers, who haven’t solved the orange and black since a 6-5 overtime triumph on November 18, 2005. Johan Hedberg yielded three goals on 23 shots in defeat.

Philadelphia grabbed a 1-0 lead on the strength of Carter’s 33rd goal of the season. Hartnell ignited a rush from the defensive zone and hit Carter in center ice with a pass. The All-Star forward glided down his off-wing and beat Hedberg with a wrister to the far side of the net at the 8:25 mark of the first period.

Lupul snapped a low wrist shot past Hedberg 52 seconds into the middle stanza, and Carter lit the lamp for the 100th time in his career early in the third period.

Atlanta forward Colby Armstrong was assessed a hooking minor and the Flyers went to work on the man advantage. Hartnell’s cross-ice pass through two Thrashers players found Carter for a one-timer at the bottom of the left circle at 2:51.

Moments later, Flyers defenseman Matt Carle was whistled for cross-checking and Kovalchuk’s blast from the slot slid between the pads of Niittymaki at the four-minute mark.

Kozlov buried a wrister over the left shoulder of Niittymaki with 6:56 remaining, but an equalizer never materialized.

Game Notes

Carter trails Washington sniper and reigning NHL MVP Alex Ovechkin by three goals in the race for the Rocket Richard trophy…Flyers team captain Mike Richards and forward Scottie Upshall both missed their third straight game with the flu…Atlanta forward Todd White notched the 200th assist of his career…The Thrashers finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while Philadelphia was 1-for-4.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary

PHI 8:25 Goal scored by Jeff Carter (33) Assisted by Scott Hartnell (19)

Penalty Summary

ATL 1:32 2 minute penalty on Mathieu Schneider for Holding
PHI 17:26 2 minute penalty on Glen Metropolit for Hooking

2nd Period

Scoring Summary

PHI 0:52 Goal scored by Joffrey Lupul (16) Assisted by Matt Carle (11) and Jeff Carter (24)

Penalty Summary

PHI 7:40 2 minute penalty on Ryan Parent for Tripping
PHI 11:29 5 minute penalty on Riley Cote for Fighting
PHI 11:29 2 minute penalty on Riley Cote for Instigator
PHI 11:29 10 minute penalty on Riley Cote for Misconduct
ATL 11:29 5 minute penalty on Eric Boulton for Fighting
PHI 14:13 2 minute penalty on Glen Metropolit for Holding
ATL 15:52 2 minute penalty on Slava Kozlov for Slashing

3rd Period

Scoring Summary
PHI 2:51 Power-Play Goal scored by Jeff Carter (34) Assisted by Scott Hartnell (20) and Braydon Coburn (14)
ATL 4:00 Power-Play Goal scored by Ilya Kovalchuk (22) Assisted by Todd White (31) and Slava Kozlov (28)
ATL 13:04 Power-Play Goal scored by Slava Kozlov (17) Assisted by Mathieu Schneider (9) and Ilya Kovalchuk (30)

Penalty Summary

ATL 2:34 2 minute penalty on Colby Armstrong for Hooking
PHI 3:14 2 minute penalty on Matt Carle for Cross-checking
ATL 7:43 2 minute penalty on Garnet Exelby for Cross-checking
PHI 8:02 2 minute penalty on Kimmo Timonen for Stick Holding
ATL 8:02 2 minute penalty on Eric Perrin for Hooking
PHI 12:05 2 minute penalty on Joffrey Lupul for Boarding

2/7/09 4-3 OT Win SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 1 2 0 1 - 4 BOS 3 0 0 - - 3 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total PHI 9 12 7 2 - 30 BOS 15 10 8 4 - 37

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Randy Jones scored with two minutes remaining in overtime, as the Philadelphia Flyers rallied to overtake the Boston Bruins, 4-3, at TD Banknorth Garden.

Simon Gagne, Glen Metropolit and Scott Hartnell also scored for the Flyers, who were minus the services of captain Mike Richards and forward Scottie Upshall for a second straight game because of the flu. Jeff Carter collected two assists for Philadelphia, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

Martin Biron got the start for the Flyers and was replaced by Antero Niittymaki at the outset of the second period after yielding three goals on 15 shots. Niittymaki stopped all 22 shots he faced to pick up the victory.

“Well, you want to go for a full game and you want to give your team a win,” Biron said. “To see the boys come back and win at a time when we’re going through a tough schedule, it was a good thing to see.”

Marc Savard, Byron Bitz and Chuck Kobasew each had a goal for the Bruins, who had won four in a row but still lead the league with 85 points. Manny Fernandez was beaten four times on 30 shots in his first start since January 8. The veteran netminder had been battling a sore back.

“We didn’t have the energy we would have like to have had,” said Bruins head coach Claude Julien.

With the score deadlocked at three and 1:24 remaining in the third period, Niittymaki batted the puck over the glass, resulting in a delay of game infraction. However, the Flyers were the ones with the better opportunities. Fernandez made an unbelievable glove save on Gagne with 4.5 seconds left on the clock. The Boston netminder’s heroics occurred moments after Carter flubbed a backhander wide of the net while on a breakaway.

In the extra session, Jones’ shot from the point was going wide right but the puck caromed off the shin pad of Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference at the side of the net and sailed past a stunned Fernandez for the game-winner.

The Bruins grabbed a 1-0 lead 3:52 into the game on the strength of Savard’s wraparound tally, then Gagne tied the score with time winding down in a two- man advantage. Kimmo Timonen dished to the left side of the enemy cage for Claude Giroux, whose bid was turned away. Mike Knuble was stationed in the slot and backhanded the rebound over to Gagne, who banged it home with 5:03 remaining in the opening frame.

Mark Stuart’s long wrister from the point clanged off the iron, but Bitz was on the doorstep and buried the disc into the back of the net with 1:01 left in the first period for the first goal of his career. Only eight seconds later, Kobasew managed to side-step two Flyer checkers and snuck a wrister home from the right wing for a 3-1 Bruins advantage.

Philadelphia rallied with two goals in the middle stanza.

Arron Asham’s feed from behind the net found Metropolit for a successful one- timer at 2:08, and Hartnell converted on the power play at 6:25, creating a turnover and using the backhand to slide the puck past a fallen Fernandez for his 20th goal of the season.

Game Notes

Hartnell reached the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight season…Philadelphia finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Bruins were 0-for-3…The Flyers had dropped four straight to Boston…Philadelphia defenseman Braydon Coburn returned to the lineup after a two-game absence (flu)…Prior to the game, the Bruins announced that forward Michael Ryder will be out indefinitely with a small fracture in the nose/eye area…Metropolit, who played for the Bruins last season, broke a 38-game goal drought, with his one and only score this season coming on October 28 at Atlanta.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary

3:52 Goal scored by Marc Savard (21) Assisted by Milan Lucic (18) and Mark Stuart (5)
14:57 Power-Play Goal scored by Simon Gagne (21) Assisted by Mike Knuble (15) and Claude Giroux (4)
18:59 Goal scored by Byron Bitz (1) Assisted by Petteri Nokelainen (2) and Mark Stuart (6)
19:07 Goal scored by Chuck Kobasew (11) Assisted by Shane Hnidy (9) and Patrice Bergeron (17)

Penalty Summary

10:04 2 minute penalty on Blake Wheeler for Holding
12:58 2 minute penalty on Dennis Wideman for Hooking
13:55 2 minute penalty on Mark Stuart for Tripping
15:48 2 minute penalty on Scott Hartnell for Interference

2nd Period

Scoring Summary

2:08 Goal scored by Glen Metropolit (2) Assisted by Arron Asham (5)
6:25 Power-Play Goal scored by Scott Hartnell (20) Assisted by Jeff Carter (22) and Joffrey Lupul (16)

Penalty Summary

5:40 2 minute penalty on Chuck Kobasew for Interference
16:41 2 minute penalty on Team for Too many men
19:56 2 minute penalty on Blake Wheeler for Hooking

3rd Period

Scoring Summary

No Scoring This Period

Penalty Summary

11:14 2 minute penalty on Claude Giroux for Hooking
18:36 2 minute penalty on Antero Niittymaki for Delay of Game

OT

Scoring Summary

3:00 Goal scored by Randy Jones (3) Assisted by Jeff Carter (23) and Scott Hartnell (18)

2/4/09 3-1 Loss SCORING 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total BOS 0 1 2 - - 3 PHI 0 1 0 - - 1 _______________________________ SHOTS 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total BOS 7 12 13 - - 33 PHI 14 6 6 - - 26

*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***

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Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – David Krejci netted the game-winning goal in the third period as Boston slipped by Philadelphia, 3-1, at Wachovia Center.

Michael Ryder and Dennis Wideman also tallied for the Bruins, who have won three in a row and eight of their last 11 overall. Boston has also reeled off 10 wins in their last 11 games on the road.

Tim Thomas made 25 saves for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, who improved to 38-8-6 on the season for 82 points, five ahead of San Jose for the best record in the NHL.

Scott Hartnell provided the only goal for the flu-ridden Flyers, who missed forwards Mike Richards and Scottie Upshall along with defenseman Braydon Coburn. Philadelphia has dropped three of its last four games and missed a chance to tie the idle Rangers for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Martin Biron took the loss despite handling 30-of-33 shots.

After surviving several Flyers chances early on, Boston went up by a goal 5:48 into the third as Krejci chopped at a floating shot from Shane Hnidy and the puck got past Biron.

Only 35 seconds later the Bruins capitalized on another fluke, when Wideman’s right-point blast slowed after it hit Jeff Carter’s skate and slid into the net for a 3-1 lead.

“We just get the puck back to the point. Fluky goals go in that way, but these are the goals you need to win these kinds of games,” noted Bruins forward Blake Wheeler.

The Flyers couldn’t muster much offense for the remainder of the contest despite several rushes and Boston walked away with its 19th road win of the season.

“There’s a reason they’re the best team in the East,” Flyers coach John Stevens said. “They have very committed players and they use their checking game to create offense.”

Thomas kept his club in the game early, making a spectacular stop with the shaft of his goal stick as Carter shot to an empty net from the left circle. He made 14 saves in all over the opening 20 minutes, his busiest period of the contest.

“I saw the shot released and I did put my stick in the right place and fortunately I was able to follow it,” Thomas said of his stop on Carter on a power play. “If you’re going to give up a juicy rebound you better have a way to stop it.”

The visitors broke the scoreless tie on Ryder’s deflection of Wideman’s wrister from the right point at 3:07 of the second, but Hartnell tied the game at 5:24, sneaking up the left side and tipping home a cross-ice feed from Joffrey Lupul.

Game Notes

The Bruins have won seven of the last 10 meetings and five of the last six in Philly…Philadelphia hasn’t scored a home victory over Boston since March 10, 2007…Wideman has posted four goals and four assists in seven-game point streak…The clubs are set to meet again, in Boston, on Saturday…The Bruins play at Ottawa on Thursday.

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Game Summary

Scoring Summary

No Scoring This Period

Penalty Summary
BOS 2:28 2 minute penalty on Byron Bitz for Goaltender Interference
PHI 7:47 2 minute penalty on Mike Knuble for Tripping

2nd Period

Scoring Summary

BOS 3:07 Goal scored by Michael Ryder (19) Assisted by Dennis Wideman (25) and David Krejci (36)
PHI 5:24 Goal scored by Scott Hartnell (19) Assisted by Joffrey Lupul (15) and Ryan Parent (1)

Penalty Summary

PHI 7:28 2 minute penalty on Matt Carle for Tripping
PHI 10:36 2 minute penalty on Joffrey Lupul for Holding
PHI 18:22 2 minute penalty on Darroll Powe for Tripping
BOS 18:56 2 minute penalty on Blake Wheeler for Goaltender Interference

3rd Period

Scoring Summary

BOS 5:48 Goal scored by David Krejci (19) Assisted by Shane Hnidy (8)
BOS 6:23 Goal scored by Dennis Wideman (12) Assisted by Blake Wheeler (17) and Andrew Ference (9)

Penalty Summary
PHI 7:28 2 minute penalty on Claude Giroux for Charging