PHILADELPHIA - If the Philadelphia Flyers were looking to make a statement, they did exactly that with a 6-1 pounding of the Eastern Conference leading Ottawa Senators on Sunday night at the Wachovia Center.

Scottie Upshall scored twice for the Flyers, and Braydon Coburn had his first career 3 point game in the convincing win that has brought the Flyers into the lead in the Atlantic Division, and improved the team to 10-1-1 in their last 12 games.

That recent streak followed a 6 game losing streak that was broken on Dec. 27th with a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since that win, the Flyers have gone from 13th in the East to 2nd.

The Flyers came out right from the opening puck drop with a tenacity that the Senators rarely matched throughout the night.

Braydon Coburn began the scoring for the Flyers just 1:37 into the 1st period when a persistent cycling play left Coburn wide open in the high slot where he ripped a shot past Ottawa goaltender Martin Gerber.

Riley Cote followed that with a fight and a rousing win over Ottawa tough guy Brian McGrattan. McGrattan was punished, and left the ice immediately after with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Scott Hartnell built the Philadelphia lead to 2-0 on the power play at 13:16 of the 1st off a centering pass from Jeff Carter. "On fire" doesn't even describe Hartnell's recent performances, as the goal marked his 10th in the last 7 games; a scoring streak that has also included two hat tricks.

Early in the 2nd period, the Flyers doubled the gap with goals by Upshall and R.J. Umberger.

Gerber was pulled in favor of Ray Emery to start the 3rd period, but he didnt fare much better. Sami Kapanen ended a 36 game goalless drought with his 4th goal of the year at 3:49 of the 3rd, and Upshall earned his 2nd of the night on the power play late in the 3rd.

Antero Niittymaki made 25 saves for Philly, and was again outstanding coming from the backup role to make a legitimate challenge for the starter's job.

Credit for the Flyers' offensive prowess belonged largely to the fact that they consistently attacked the net with determination. Rarely did the Flyers get a chance on the Ottawa net without getting another right after from a rebound.

The Flyers' top ranked power play continued to tear it up by going 2-for-7, while the kill unit did not surrender a goal in 3 Ottawa opportunities.

Chris Kelly provided the Sens' lone goal at 7:27 of the 2nd period.

Game Notes Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson were injury scratches...the much anticipated confrontation between Ottawa and the Flyers' Steve Downie never actually materialized after the fight between Cote and McGrattan...