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*** PostGame Interviews & Coach’s Press Conference ***
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Toronto, ON (Sports Network) – Nik Antropov registered a goal and an assist as Toronto topped Philadelphia, 4-2, at Air Canada Centre.
Lee Stempniak, Dominic Moore and Pavel Kubina also scored for the Maple Leafs, who halted a five-game losing streak and did it on the day they formally introduced Brian Burke as the new general manager. Burke is the 13th general manager in team history, replacing interim GM Cliff Fletcher. Burke, a former Flyers minor-leaguer, held previous posts in Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim as well as in the league office.
Vesa Toskala stopped 28 shots for his eighth win of the year.
Mike Richards tallied twice for the Flyers, who dropped their second in a row after a six-game win streak. Martin Biron dropped his second game in as many days, allowing four goals on 27 shots.
Kubina’s blast 2:16 into the third put the Maple Leafs ahead by two goals and Toskala made the lead hold up, stopping Scottie Upshall at even strength and robbing Simon Gagne on the power play after a lucky bounce off the end boards.
He made one last diving stop on Philly defenseman Matt Carle’s shot with 3 1/2 minutes to play, and even though Biron went to the bench with 1:18 remaining for an extra skater, the Flyers could not get any closer.
Toronto got the game’s first goal with 5:15 left in the first period. Moore carried down the left side and forced Biron to come out of the net before stickhandling around him and back into the crease. Stempniak was there on the doorstep to stuff the puck in for his first goal in a Toronto uniform.
Just 35 seconds later, Richards followed up behind Arron Asham’s partial breakaway and slammed home the rebound for a 1-1 tie.
Antropov’s power-play goal 2:55 into the second gave the Leafs a 2-1 edge. Biron attempted to clear a dump-in up the middle, but the puck hit the onrushing forward in the face and it rebounded back into the net.
It was 3-1 at 8:43 as Moore exited the penalty box on a clean break and managed to tap the puck through before a sliding Biron knocked the net off its moorings.
Richards netted his second of the night with 2:37 left in the second to bring the visitors within one. While a man down, Gagne was tripped and on the delayed penalty call, sent the puck to the Flyers’ captain for an easy one- timer.
Game Notes
Richards’ second goal was the Flyers’ ninth short-handed tally of the season…Toronto has won 10 of the last 13 meetings dating back to the start of the 2005-06 season…The Flyers also suffered their first regulation loss in 10 games, dating back to a 2-1 defeat to Tampa Bay on November 8.
Content Copyright 2008, The Sports Network. Distributed by XML Team Solutions.
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Scoring
Philadelphia Flyers:
2. M. Richards (7) (A. Asham (1), A. Alberts (5)) 15:20 1st Pd
5. M. Richards (8) (S. Gagne (18), O. Vaananen (6)) 17:23 2nd Pd
Toronto Maple Leafs:
1. L. Stempniak (4) (D. Moore (6)) 14:45 1st Pd
3. N. Antropov (9) 2:55 2nd Pd
4. D. Moore (5) (N. Antropov (9), A. Ponikarovsky (10)) 8:43 2nd Pd
6. P. Kubina (5) 2:16 3rd Pd
Penalties
Philadelphia Flyers:
J. Gratton (Fighting) 14:48 1st Pd
A. Asham (Fighting) 18:44 1st Pd
A. Alberts (Interference) 2:36 2nd Pd
B. Coburn (High-sticking) 3:25 2nd Pd
J. Carter (Hooking) 4:17 2nd Pd
A. Alberts (Tripping) 17:03 2nd Pd
Toronto Maple Leafs:
A. Deveaux (Fighting) 14:48 1st Pd
M. Grabovski (Interference) 16:17 1st Pd
J. Mayers (Fighting) 18:44 1st Pd
D. Moore (High-sticking) 6:36 2nd Pd
D. Moore (Holding) 5:53 3rd Pd
J. Mitchell (High-sticking) 11:49 3rd Pd
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 29th, 2008 at 11:54 PM and is filed under Arron Asham, Flyers, Game Recaps, Martin Biron, Matt Carle, Mike Richards, Regular Season, Scottie Upshall, Simon Gagne, Toronto Maple Leafs.
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