GAME THREAD: NHL: PHILADELPHIA (7-3) at MONTREAL (6-5)

NHL: PHILADELPHIA (7-3) at MONTREAL (6-5)

<h3>Flyers, Canadiens continue climb up standings</h3>

<div class="pre">Philadelphia (7-3-0) at Montreal (6-2-3) 7:30 pm EDT</div>

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Two teams near the top of the WesternConference standings face off on Thursday when the PhiladelphiaFlyers take on the Montreal Canadiens.


After winning six of their first seven games, the Flyers, whoare leading the Atlantic Division, had lost back-to-backcontests before getting back on track with a 2-1 victory overthe Boston Bruins on Saturday.


Defenseman Randy Jones was suspended for two games on Monday forhis violent hit during the game on Boston's Patrice Bergeron,who had to be carried off on a stretcher after hitting theboards head-first.


Having Bergeron on the ice would not have helped much as Flyersgoaltender Martin Biron had one of his best games this season,making 38 saves - 31 in the final two periods.


Biron, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres during lastseason, has posted a 7-2-0 record with a 1.78 goals-againstaverage in his first full campaign with Philadelphia.

For his career, Biron is 12-6-0 with a 2.04 GAA and two shutoutsagainst the Canadiens.


Montreal absorbed a 3-2 setback to the Atlanta Thrashers in itslast game on Tuesday, snapping a season-high four-game winningstreak.


The Canadiens scored both of their goals on Tuesday with a manadvantage, and continue to dominate on the power play. Montrealranks first in the NHL in power-play percentage, finding theback of the net on 30.2 percent of its opportunities.

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL AT MONTREAL
STARTING GOALIES: PHI - MARTIN BIRON
MON - CRISTOBAL HUET

OFFICIALS: REF - CHRIS LEE, JUSTIN ST. PIERRE
LIN - BRAD KOVACHIK, PIERRE CHAMPOUX</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">PHILADELPHIA VS MONTREAL - SCRATCHES

PHILADELPHIA MONTREAL

R JONES Healthy F BOUILLON SHOULDER
G MURRAY ANKLE INJURY
M GRABOVSKI HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 0 16:52 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 0 15:49 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 0 12:45 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 1
1ST PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 4 (ROMAN HAMRLIK, KYLE CHIPCHURA) 8:53</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 1 9:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 1 7:57 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 0
MONTREAL 1 3:32 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 1
1ST PRD: PHI - (PP) MIKE RICHARDS 7 (DANIEL BRIERE, KIMMO TIMONEN)
16:50</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 1 2:28 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
PHILADELPHIA 1 1
MONTREAL 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 4 (ROMAN HAMRLIK, KYLE CHIPCHURA) 8:53
PHI - (PP) MIKE RICHARDS 7 (DANIEL BRIERE, KIMMO TIMONEN)
16:50

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
PHI 6 6
MON 15 15

GOALIES: PHI - MARTIN BIRON
MON - CRISTOBAL HUET</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------
Philadelphia 1 --1
Montreal 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Saku Koivu 4 (Roman Hamrlik, Kyle
Chipchura), 8:53. 2, Philadelphia, Mike Richards 7 (power play)
(Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen), 16:50. Penalties: M Komisarek, Mon
(major fighting), 6:20; S Hartnell, Phi (major fighting), 6:20; S
Begin, Mon (high sticking), 7:15; M Knuble, Phi (interference), 8:18;
R Hamrlik, Mon (cross checking), 15:23.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Philadelphia 6 --6
Montreal 15 --15
-----------------------------

Goalies : Philadelphia, Martin Biron (15 shots, 14 saves). Montreal,
Cristobal Huet (6 shots, 5 saves). Referees: Chris Lee, Justin St.
Pierre. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Pierre Champoux.</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">PHILADELPHIA VS MONTREAL - SCRATCHES

PHILADELPHIA MONTREAL

R JONES SUSPENDED NHL F BOUILLON SHOULDER
G MURRAY ANKLE INJURY
M GRABOVSKI HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 1 16:59 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 1 15:46 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PHILADELPHIA at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL PHILADELPHIA 1
MONTREAL 2
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) ALEXEI KOVALEV 7 (UNASSISTED) 7:28</div>