Sat May 3 22:14:40 2008

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Umberger scores twice as Flyers finish off Habs

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Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Scottie Upshall scored the game-winning goal and the Philadelphia Flyers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals with a 6-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the semifinals at the Bell Centre.

R.J. Umberger celebrated his 26th birthday by continuing to feast on the Canadiens with two goals and an assist while Mike Richards added a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2004.

Umberger finished the series with eight goals and one assist in the five games.

Martin Biron continued to make the big saves and stopped 31 shots in the win for Philadelphia, which finished last season in last place and now awaits the winner of the Pittsburgh/New York Rangers series.

The Penguins hold a 3-1 lead in that series with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Andrei Kostitsyn, Alex Kovalev and Tomas Plekanec each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who were the top seed in the playoffs, but dropped the last four games of the series after winning Game 1.

Rookie netminder Carey Price started the game after being benched for Game 4, but he was charged for five goals on 36 shots in the loss.

The game had been tied after Montreal scored early in the third period, but the Flyers grabbed the lead with 3:04 to play.

The puck had popped into the air and into the slot where Jeff Carter settled it down. He fired a turnaround shot on net that Upshall redirected under the crossbar for the 5-4 lead.

The Canadiens pulled Price with over a minute to play, but were unable to establish any solid pressure and Mike Knuble sealed the series win with an empty-net goal.

Montreal got the first power play of the game, but Philadelphia almost scored on the advantage as Richards skated in on net on a partial breakaway and went to the backhand, but Price kicked it away with a left toe save. Just moments later, the Canadiens scored on the advantage as Patrice Brisebois blasted a shot on net from the right point that Plekanec redirected into the net for a 1-0 lead 4:29 into the game.

Umberger, though, scored at the 10:20 mark of the first on a beautiful goal. He skated down the left wing and deked the defender by going to the backhand. From in front he slid a shot on net that Price saved, but as he was sliding on the ice Umberger tapped the puck past the goaltender's right pad to tie the game.

The Habs, though, took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission a bit over a minute later. Maxim Lapierre fought off a checker behind the net and attempted to wrap it around from the left side. It went across the goal crease, but hit off the right skate of Kovalev and past Biron with 8:32 left in the frame.

Montreal made it a 3-1 game at the 8:15 mark of the second period. Saku Koivu skated through the middle and slammed on the brakes in the high slot. He dished the puck over to the left side where a flying Chris Higgins picked up the disc and from the left circle let fly with a wrister that sailed past the glove of Biron.

Philadelphia, though, scored the next three goals to take a 4-3 lead into the third period.

The first goal came when Umberger fired a shot on net from the left point that Richards attempted to glove down in front. However, the puck tipped off his glove and got past Price at the 14:02 mark. The goal was reviewed to determine whether Richards deliberately redirected the puck with his glove, but the on- ice called stood.

Just 1:42 later, Umberger grabbed the puck at the right side of the net and wrapped underneath Price, who didn't have his stick on the ice, to tie the game.

With three minutes left in the frame, Scott Hartnell flew down the left wing and his blast from the left circle banged off the right post and into the net for the lead.

The Habs, though, tied the game just 2:13 into the third. Plekanec flew through the neutral zone into the Philadelphia end and left a drop pass for Kostitsyn, who fired a laser through a screen and over Biron's glove.

Game Notes

Umberger has a five-game goal streak and is the first Flyer to score in five straight playoff games since Brian Propp did it in 1989...Montreal went 1- for-4 on the power play while Philadelphia finished the game 0-for-3...The Habs now hold a 3-2 lead in all-time playoff series with the Flyers...Philadelphia's Danny Briere will be appearing in his third straight conference final.