Biron sharp as Flyers slog past Kings

by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine

Martin Biron stopped all 34 shots he faced to post his second shutout of the season, as the Philadelphia Flyers ground out a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Wachovia Center.

"I've had some close ones," said Biron, who improved to 19-12-5 and lowered his goals-against to 2.85. "We have a big wall in our hallway here reminding us of all the milestone. I know they'll be putting my name on the wall, which is going to be nice."

Jeff Carter picked up a goal and assist for the Flyers, who have won four of their last five games and crept within four points of idle New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Simon Gagne registered an empty-net goal and Matt Carle added a secondary helper.

Erik Ersberg nearly equalized Biron, allowing one goal on 19 shots for the defensively-oriented Kings, who have dropped three of their last four contests.

Carter’s power-play goal seemed to awaken both clubs and the fans late in the second period.

With LA defenseman Matt Greene off for holding, Joffrey Lupul worked the puck down low from the left circle. Two Flyers got in whacks at the disc in front of Ersberg, but it worked loos to Carter at the side of the net and his poke was successful for a 1-0 lead at 16:11.

That series accounted for two of the Flyers’ five shots in the middle 20 minutes, as Biron was sharp to stop 13 and keep it a one-goal contest.

The Kings continued pressing in the third, but mostly forced into perimeter chances, lofted just nine shots on net. The visitors also squandered two power-play chances after Glen Metropolit and Mike Richards were whistled for infractions in the first half of the period.

Ersberg was given the hook for an extra skater with 1:20 remaining in regulation, and after unsuccessful chances to the empty net by Richards and Carter, Gagne maneuvered around a Kings checker and scored with one second to play.

"We had our looks, we had our opportunities but Marty was really good here," Kings head coach Terry Murray said. "It was a demanding game, and I was proud of our guys because we're such a young team. We have to find a way."

A passionless first period passed with LA outshooting Philly 12-9. The best chance for either club to score came 7 ½ minutes in, when Gagne was dragged down from behind on a breakaway.

Game Notes

Biron notched his 25^th career shutout…Carter’s goal gave him 36 on the season, second-best in the NHL and one ahead of New Jersey’s Zach Parise. Washington’s Alex Ovechkin has a comfortable lead with 44 tallies…Kimmo Timonen missed his second straight game with the flu…Danny Briere is still on track to return to action Friday against Montreal…Channel 3 traffic reporter Bob Kelly successfully proposed to his girlfriend on ArenaVision between the first and second periods.