KANATA, ONT - Faced with the top team in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers were able to do two things they have seldom done through the early part of the season; outshoot their opponent and offer a consistent effort through the entire game.

As a result, the Flyers were able to give the Ottawa Senators their 4th loss in their last 8 games with a 4-3 victory Saturday night at ScotiaBank Place.

Daniel Briere played a crucial role in the Flyers win by tallying a goal and two assists, while Scott Hartnell and R.J. Umberger each added a goal and assist of their own.

Briere put the Flyers on top to stay with his 12th goal of the season when he was able to tip in a precision pass from the side boards by Hartnell at 13:11 of the 2nd period.

Antero Niittymaki got his 2nd win of the season by making 26 saves as he stood in for starter Martin Biron.

The Flyers outshot the Sens by a count of 41-29, and had 33 shots through the first 2 periods. In most of the Flyers' games this season, they have been consistently, and sometimes grossly outshot by their opponents. The only shot advantage the Sens held this night was in the 3rd period, when they fired 10 shots to Philly's 7.

The Flyers entered the 2nd period trailing the Sens 2-1, but put together three 2nd period goals while allowing just one. Then, they were able to effectively protect their lead by continuing to attack throughout the 3rd period and never really letting the Senators gain much forward momentum.

Hartnell got his 3rd of the season just 58 seconds into the 2nd period to tie it at 2 goals apiece when he flew down the side boards and released a laser that beat Ottawa goaltender Martin Gerber between the right leg pad and the post. Interestingly enough, it was Hartnell's first goal of the season that wasn't scored on an empty net.

But it didn't take the Sens long to answer, largely due to a mistake by Niittymaki. Brian McGrattan sent a pass across the slot to Chistoph Shubert, but Niittymaki overplayed the pass as Shubert was too far past the goal to send it an effective shot. As Niittymaki tried to get back in his crease, Shubert banked the puck off the goaltender's skate and into the net to take back the Ottawa lead.

The rest of the period would belong to the Flyers, however. Mike Richards once again came through in a clutch situation and got his 13th goal of the year at 7:51 to tie the game at 3. Richards received a pass from R.J. Umberger at center ice and carried it deep into the Ottawa zone before shooting, retrieving the rebound, and backhanding the rebound through Gerber's legs.

In a relatively surprising move, Gerber was pulled immediately following the Richards goal in favor of current backup, and last year's regular starter, Ray Emery.

Umberger scored the Flyers' other goal, while Dany Heatley provided the other Ottawa goals, all in the 1st period.

The loss for the Senators was their first of the season when scoring first, and was their 3rd in a row; the first time that has happened since March.