Sat Feb 2 23:54:05 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Knuble's hat trick, Biron's shutout fuels Flyers win over Anaheim

---

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Mike Knuble registered the first hat trick of his career, and Martin Biron made 27 saves to record his third shutout of the season and 21st of his career, as the Philadelphia Flyers blanked the Anaheim Ducks, 3-0, at the Wachovia Center.

The Flyers closed out their season-high six-game homestand with a 4-2-0 mark, and blanked the Ducks for the first time since a 1-0 victory in Anaheim on January 3, 2003.

Jonas Hiller allowed three goals on 25 shots for the Ducks, who have been shutout in back-to-back contests. St. Louis defeated Anaheim 1-0 in a shootout on Friday.

The Ducks fell to 0-3-1 on their season-high nine-game road swing and have lost a season-high six straight overall. The club has scored only five goals during the slide.

The Flyers emerged from a mad scramble in front of Hiller with the first goal of the game at the 5:46 mark of the second. Philadelphia peppered the visiting netminder and Knuble continued to pound away at the left side of the net until the disc crossed the goal line.

Philadelphia's power play made it a 2-0 game with 10 seconds remaining in the frame. Daniel Briere won a faceoff and Knuble dropped the puck to Mike Richards at the right point. Richards then skated to the middle of the ice and fired a low shot that Knuble redirected through the legs of Hiller.

Knuble completed the hat trick at 5:57 of the third when he drilled a slap shot from the top of the right circle over Hiller's glove and inside the far post.

Game Notes

The Ducks and Flyers squared off in Philly for the first time since the home team notched a 2-1 win on March 21, 2002...The Flyers last home shutout over Anaheim came on October 22, 1996, by Ron Hextall...Philadelphia improved to 23-2-0 when allowing two goals or less...Anaheim's Francois Beauchemin played in the 200th game of his NHL career...Teemu Selanne, who signed a one-year deal with the Ducks earlier this week, is expected to make his 2007-08 debut Tuesday against the Islanders...Meanwhile, the Flyers visit Atlanta also on Tuesday.