Wrapup (10:20 PM)
The Flyers played two strong periods but gave Atlanta life in the third period, coughing up a two-goal lead. Antero Niittymaki (now 11-0-0 lifetime against Atlanta) was strong in net down the stretch, as the team in front of him ran out of steam.
The Flyers got home from Montreal at 2:30 AM and definitely showed the effects of being at the end of a long, busy week. That does not excuse the fact the Flyers once again had trouble closing out a game they led after two periods, but you can't complain too much when the end result is seven out of a possible eight points in the last four games.
"I thought we played a great two periods, then we had as bad a start as possible in the third period," said Flyers coach John Stevens. "Now it's a one-goal game, they're going to hang around."
In the early going, Atlanta repeatedly tried to beat the Flyers with stretch passes. The Flyers sealed them off with little problem. Only later in the game, when the Flyers started turning over some pucks, did Atlanta start to generate its offensive attack.
"They like to press up on play and we did a good job with the [puck] support early in the game," said Kimmo Timonen. "In the third period, they got us a little bit spread out."
The Flyers do not play again until Friday, when they travel to Buffalo to play the Sabres for the first time this season.
NOTES AND QUOTES
* Ron Hainsey (24:07, plus-two) and Kimmo Timonen (24:06, powerplay goal) led their clubs in ice time.
* Stevens on Niitymaki: "It's a remarkable run that he's had [against Atlanta]. He really was strong tonight. We knew he would have to be. They are a dangerous offensive team and I thought he was terrific down the stretch again to keep the streak alive."
* Joffrey Lupul said of his game-winning goal, "I just got the puck and skated down the ice and made a good move. I was able to make a good shot after that. I've been struggling a little bit with the puck, and I haven't been getting as many shooting opportunities as I'd like, but I was able to make a play there."
* Mike Knuble said of the third period, "It was a little bit ugly. We came out flat into the third period. We stunk coming out of the gate, and it almost came back to really cost us. These are the games you have to win, you have to pull out if you want to move up in the standings. Lupul's goal was huge for us."
3rd period synopsis: Flyers 4 - Thrashers 3
The Flyers let Atlanta get right back into the game early. Philadelphia looked fatigued at the end of their three game in four night (and four games in six day) stretch and Atlanta took it to them throughout the third period. Only a great effort by Joffrey Lupul saved the Flyers from what could have been a very disheartening outcome.
Flyers 3 - Thrashers 2: At 0:35, a turnover by Luca Sbisa to Brian Little ends up in the net, as a shot rebounds in front, hits Jeff Carter and trickles in.
The Flyers look a bit shaken by the early goal and are giving up the blueline too easily right now. They need a strong shift to stabilize the game. Their legs are starting to drag.
Sbisa throws a solid hit near the blueline, Niitty stops a rebound attempt in close at 5:35. Shots are 10-2 Atlanta in this period.
Flyers have their best shift of the period from about 7:00 to 7:30. Scottie Upshall comes close to scoring on a rebound and takes a heavy hit from Nathan Oystrick for his trouble.
Lasse Kukkonen with his best work of the game, throwing a bodycheck on the side boards, preventing a centering pass in front and then mixing it up with Jim Slater. Both players go off at 10:00, setting up 4-on-4 hockey. Slater gets a cross-checking minor, Kukkonen gets roughing.
Flyers 3 - Thrashers 3: The Flyers get pinned in their own end throughout the 4-on-4, and finally Slava Kozlov puts a shot over . Assists to Hainsey and Kovalchuk at 12:03.
Flyers 4 - Thrashers 3. At 13:43, Joffrey Lupul makes a tremendous play to restore the lead. He carried up the left wing against Nicklas Havelid. Seeing he was well-marked, Lupul threw on the brakes, moved over a stride as Havelid overcommited and blasted a slapshot past Hedberg. Assists to Metropolit and Alberts.
Upshall nails a pinching Havelind with a big hit at 16:22.
Play under review at 17:57 but it won't be a goal for Atlanta. Antero Niittymaki couldn't quite stop an Ilya Kovalchuk wraparound attempt, but the puck never crossed the goal line.
Anxious moments late as the Flyers struggle -- yet again -- to close out a game. Luca Sbisa takes an icing at 18:58. Timeout taken. Hedberg is off for an extra attacker. Richards wins the draw. The Flyers take another icing with 44.8 seconds left.
The Flyers survive the rest of regulation.
Shots in the third period were 21 for Atlanta (game total of 32) and 4 for the Flyers (game total of 32). Faceoffs were 10-8 Flyers (33-29 Flyers for the game), led by Jeff Carter (11 for 18, 61%) and Mike Richards (16 for 27, 59%).
2nd period synopsis: Flyers 3 - Thrashers 1
The Flyers rebounded nicely after a miscue with the fourth line and third D pairing on the ice led to an Atlanta goal. Philly killed off a lengthy 5-on-3 disadvantage, and are strong third period away from a victory.
The Flyers generate a couple of point shots but can't get a deflection or rebound on Hedberg on the carryover powerplay.
Hedberg swallows up a side angle shot from Hartnell with Scotty Upshall on the doorstep at 4:55. Shots now 22 to 8 for the Flyers.
Flyers 2 - Thrashers 1: At 5:45, a turnover between the bluelines comes back to bite the Flyers. Garnet Exelby gets the puck up to Ilya Kovalchuk, who carries in against Lasse Kukkonen. Kovalchuk makes a drop pass to Erik Christensen, who goes high glove from the slot to beat Niittymaki for his first goal of the season.
Boris Valabik off for tripping Arron Asham at 9:59.
Flyers 3 - Thrashers 1: On the ensuing powerplay, Kimmo Timonen has time to move between the circles and rip a slapshot through a Mike Knuble screen. Simon Gagne and Knuble get the assists. Time of the goal was 11:27.
Mike Knuble cuts in past Colby Armstrong and snaps a shot on goal at 12:57.
Lasse Kukkonen (who is having a rough game tonight) takes the Flyers' first penalty-- a hooking call behind the net at 13:15. Carter then goes off for hooking at 14:03, setting up a 5-on-3. Aided by Ilya Kovalchuk breaking a stick on a one-timer attempt, the Flyers kill off the 5-on-3 and then survive the remainder of the disadvantage.
At 18:13, Exelby goes off for holding Lupul. The Flyers can't extend the lead. There will be 13 seconds of carryover time at the start of the third period.
Shots were 10-8 in the Flyers' favor (28-12 through two periods). Faceoffs were 11-9 for Atlanta (Flyers lead 23-21 through two periods).
1st period synopsis: Flyers 2 - Thrashers 0
The Flyers played a very clean period, with few mistakes. They are skating well and winning the battles. Goals in the first and last minute of the period gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead. Atlanta is once again playing a soft game, and making life easy on the Flyers defensively.
Flyers 1 - Thrashers 0: Just 53 seconds into the game, Simon Gagne picks off a cross-ice pass near the defensive blueline, rushes off on a breakaway and beats Johan Hedberg with his favorite forehand-to-backhand move. The unassisted goal was Gagne's 11th of the season.
At 3:21, Ilya Kovalchuk stickhandles past Simon Gagne and tries to go wide on Braydon Coburn. Antero Niittymaki swallows up the shot from the circle.
Shots are 5-2 Flyers through 6:38. Atlanta is trying a lot of stretch passes, so far with little success.
Matt Carle makes a good defensive read to seal off a rush that could have become a mini two-on-one at about 8:25.
Shots are 6-3 Flyers through 10:41. Atlanta is still looking to spring forwards on rushes that just aren't there. Several plays have led to potential outnumbered rushes for the Flyers.
At 13:25, Johan Hedberg stops a routine Mike Knuble shot for a faceoff. The Flyers win the next two faceoffs, generating scoring chances. Shots are 12-3 Flyers through 14:30.
Flyers take a needless icing at 15:53. Christensen vs Carter on the ensuing draw. Atlanta holds the zone, but no scoring chances result.
Lots of individual play by Kovalchuk, bobbing and weaving with the puck up high in the offensive zone, to no avail. Simon Gagne stayed right with him and Atlanta ended up taking themselves offside.
Flyers 2 - Thrashers 0: At the 19:39 Mike Knuble (7th of the season) snaps a shot from the high slot past Hedberg off the rush. Simon Gagne gets the primary assist, Braydon Coburn the secondary.
On the next shift, Atlanta's Colby Armstrong takes a cross-checking penalty in the offensive zone. A scrum ensues, but Atlanta gets the only penalty at 19:53. The powerplay will carry over to the second period.
Shots were 19-4 in the Flyers' favor. Faceoffs were 13-10 Flyers, with Mike Richards winning 8 of 11 and Jeff Carter going 4-for-5.
Preview (8:40 AM)
The last time the Flyers (6-6-4) met the Atlanta Thrashers (7-7-2), Philly had one of its easiest games in years. Atlanta went down meekly to a 7-0 defeat. With the Flyers coming off their best 60-minute performance of the season last night in Montreal, they need to avoid a letdown tonight when they return to the Wachovia Center.
The big storyline heading into the game is Antero Niittymaki's perfect 10-0-0 career record and 1.51 GAA against Atlanta. He'll put it on the line tonight against one-time Flyers draftee Johan Hedberg. Kari Lehtonen (back) did not make the trip to Philadelphia. Niitty's last start was the 4-1 loss in Ottawa on November 6.
Last night, John Stevens switched up the Flyers' top two defensive pairings during the game. This may continue tonight, with Braydon Coburn playing with Matt Carle and steady veteran Kimmo Timonen paired with rookie Luca Sbisa, who has struggled a little bit of late.
Both teams have some injuries on the blueline. For Atlanta, neither veteran Mathieu Schneider (hip flexor) nor highly touted rookie Zach Bogosian (leg bone) are available. The Flyers will not have Ossi Vaananen (finger).
FLYERS LINES AND SCRATCHES
Gagne - Metropolit - Knuble
Nodl - Richards - Lupul
Hartnell - Carter - Upshall
Gratton - Ross - Asham
Sbisa - Timonen
Coburn - Carle
Alberts - Kukkonen
Niittymaki
[Biron]
Scratches: Vaananen (finger), Briere (groin), Cote (oblique muscle), Powe (concussion), Jones (IR, hip), Parent (IR, shoulder), Hatcher (LTIR, knee)
Contact Bill at
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