Flyers bury Canucks

by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine

Mike Richards recorded his first-career four point night, scoring twice and adding two assists as the Philadelphia Flyers rode a four-goal first period en route to an 8-2 blowout win over the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place.

Daniel Briere had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who completed their three-game season-opening Western Canadian road trip at 2-1-0.

Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul and R.J. Umberger added a goal and helper each, while Jeff Carter and Mike Knuble also lit the lamp. Martin Biron made 25 saves in the victory.

The Flyers have not lost to the Canucks in Vancouver since January 17, 1989, when the club played in the old Pacific Coliseum, a span of 13 games (9-0-4).

Ryan Shannon and Lukas Krajicek scored for the Canucks, who have dropped two of three to start the year. Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin added two assists each in the loss.

Starting netminder Roberto Luongo had an uncharacteristically poor night in net, allowing four first-period goals on 13 shots before Curtis Sanford took over. Sanford allowed four goals on 17 shots in relief.

With the Flyers ahead by five, a sedate third period was shattered when Canucks forward Ryan Kesler was leveled on a cross-check to the head byFlyers forward Jesse Boulerice with 8:21 remaining. Boulerice was assessed a five-minute major and match penalty for intent-to-injure and Kesler went to the locker room for evaluation.

Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen was whistled for a delay-of-game call about halfway through the Canucks' five-minute power-play, but Richards cashed in on a two-man disadvantage breakaway goal for an 8-2 game with 5:41 to go.

Richards has scored the Flyers' last two goals while down two men, the previous one coming October 22, 2005 at Toronto.

After the Flyers killed off a Canuck power play, they took a 1-0 lead when Carter tucked home the rebound of Randy Jones' point shot at 8:48 of the first.

Only 13 seconds later it was 2-0 when Umberger finished off a rush by redirecting a Richards cross-ice pass from the left side.

Shannon made it 2-1 at 10:13 on a power play, when he slammed home Daniel Sedin's behind-the-back pass through the crease past Biron at the left post.

Philly took a 3-1 lead with 6:49 to play in the period on their next man-advantage when Briere threaded the needle from the left circle to the rightpost for an easy tap-in by Gagne.

Briere added his fourth of the season at 16:17 when he roofed a backhander inside the right post after getting back his initial blocked pass to Gagne.

Lupul continued the onslaught with a right-circle wrister at 1:24 of thesecond for a 5-1 Flyers advantage. It was the young winger's first goal with Philadelphia.

Krajicek cut the deficit to 5-2 with a power-play slap shot exactly two minutes later, but Knuble restored the four-goal edge with 9:38 to play in the second on a Flyers power play when he tipped home Timonen's point shot directly in front of Sanford.

Philly went ahead 7-2 with a little more than three minutes remaining when Briere emerged from a scrum along the goal line with the puck, fired to the right post and found Richards alone for another easy score.