Yashin, Isles Beat Lowly Flyers
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PHILADELPHIA — Alexei Yashin scored twice and Rick DiPietro stopped 32 shots to lift the Islanders to a 3–1 win over the NHL-worst Philadelphia Flyers last night.
The Flyers dropped to a woeful 2–5–1 at home and, even this early in the season, are in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since the 1993–94 season.
Not even a coaching change has jolted the Flyers out of their season-long funk. Philadelphia lost its fourth straight, dropped to 2–5 under John Stevens and are 3–11–1 overall for a league-worst seven points. Through 15 games last season, the Flyers were 11–3–1.
The Islanders were sharp in their first game since coach Ted Nolan said his team seemed to quit in Monday’s 5–1 loss to Tampa Bay. Maybe playing on the road against the Atlantic Division-rival Flyers helped.
The Islanders started a five-game road swing after playing nine of 10 at home. They scored twice in the first period, never giving the Flyers a chance to get going early, and DiPietro made the goals stand up with a stellar effort, coming close to his first shutout since April 8 against Washington.
DiPietro and teammate Arron Asham got into a brief scuffle in Wednesday’s practice. Maybe the quick fight fired up the goalie, who was perfect until Simon Gagne scored his eighth goal on a power play in the game’s final minutes.
Yashin scored his sixth of the season midway through the first, knocking the puck past Antero Niittymaki after it bounced off the post and right back to his stick.
The Islanders made it 2–0 late in the first after Shawn Bates charged down the right wing and fed the puck across the ice to Richard Park for a one-timed goal.