Flyers hold off Canadiens to take 2-1 lead
NEW YORK: The Philadelphia Flyers scored a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Philadelphia's veteran netminder Martin Biron played a key part in the win, stopping 32 shots to upstage Montreal's 20-year-old rookie Carey Price.
Philadelphia scored three goals in the second period and held on for the win in the face of a Canadiens' onslaught in the third. Montreal outshot the Flyers 34-14, including 17-2 in the final period.
"More often than not, when you outshoot a team 34-14 you win games," Montreal's Chris Higgins told reporters. "You can't fault him (Price) too much, I don't think he saw those pucks.
"We're playing well, we're confident, we feel we should be winning these games," Higgins added.
"Maybe if we could chip in with another powerplay goal or two at points in this series, we'd be in better shape."
Price was pulled from the game after allowing three goals on 12 shots in the second period. Another rookie, Jaroslav Halak, replaced him and faced only two shots in the third.
Scottie Upshall, Mike Richards and R.J. Umberger put the home team 3-0 ahead but Montreal replied with a powerplay marker from Tomas Plekanec in the third after Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher had been ejected for slamming a Canadien into the boards.
Saku Koivu made it 3-2 shortly after with another powerplay goal but Flyers goalie Biron responded to chants of "Mar-ty! Mar-ty!" from the crowd to keep the Canadiens at bay for the rest of the period.
"We killed off a few penalties earlier in the game and did a pretty good job, and then we were able to hold on in the third," Philadelphia's Braydon Coburn said. "Marty played awesome and that really helped us."
Game 4 is in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Agencies
(China Daily 04/30/2008 page22)
