FLYERS NEWS

With only 1 goal in their last 2 games and 2 close losses to show for it, the Flyers couldn't have come into tonight's game against the hated New Jersey Devils with all that much confidence. The last thing you want to do when you're struggling to score is face Martin Brodeur. In fact, the Flyers looked for a while like they wanted no part of Brodeur or the Devils. They were truly a sloppy mess for the better part of 2 periods, committing 6 penalties as the Devils quickly jumped ahead 2-0 just 1 minute into the 2nd period. Then at their lowest moment, down 2 goals to Brodeur with seemingly no hope left, the lightbulb finally turned on for the Orange and Black, and not a moment too soon. With a little under 2 minutes left in the 2nd period James Van Reimsdyk slipped by the defense and fooled Brodeur into looking one way while he shot the other way to cut it 2-1. About a minute later Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter hooked up on a 2 on 1 with Carter slapping one by Brodeur to knot it up at 2 with just 24 seconds left in the period. Considering the Flyers have just 1 win this season when trailing after 2 periods, that was literally perfect timing by Carter.

Later on with a little under 6 minutes to play and the Flyer's on the power play, Mike Richards slapped home a rebound and suddenly the Flyer's had the lead 3-2. From there to the end it was the Micheal Leighton show(Ray Emery sat out again with a bad hip) as the Flyer's number 2 - maybe he should be number 1 goalie, fended off one Devils' scoring chance after another. He made a brilliant glove save to rob Patrick Elias with about 5 minutes to play. Then later after Kimmo Timonen was penalized for boarding to give New Jersey a power play for the final 2 minutes of the game, Leighton stayed cool and helped kill of the penalty. He didn't make any huge saves but kept the puck in front of him and would not allow New Jersey to get anything by until the 3-2 victory was assured for the Orange and Black. In all Leighton amassed 28 big saves and I wouldn't be surprised to see him finish out the Flyer's last few games before the Olympic break.

So it wasn't a great 60 minute performance for the Orange and Black but they found a way to win and if this doesn't give them some momentum moving forward I don't know what will. At any rate with 61 points overall now the Flyers are back up to 7th in the Eastern conference, but far from out of the woods in the NHL playoff picture. Still a win is a win and I am going to go enjoy this one for a while.