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Flyers Now Down 3-0 to B's

 

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Blake Wheeler notched a goal with one assist while Mark Recchi added a key power-play score as Boston dispatched Philadelphia, 4-1, in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series from Wachovia Center.

Miroslav Satan and Patrice Bergeron also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who have a stranglehold on the set after winning the first three games.

Tuukka Rask picked up his seventh win of these playoffs with a 34-save performance.

"We haven't been happy the way we've played in our own end. We thought we were just a little lax back there," Recchi said of his club's first two games. "I think we made the conscious effort coming on the road, playing a real good road defensive game. When we did make mistakes, Tuukka was there."

Arron Asham provided the lone offense for the Flyers, who will try to avoid being swept for the first time since 1997 in front of the home crowd in Game 4 on Friday.

Brian Boucher allowed three goals on only 19 shots in defeat.

An early-third-period Bruins power play turned into Boston's third goal of the contest, as Recchi knocked a loose puck home from the right post at 2:30 for a 3-1 edge.

The play was made possible after Zdeno Chara's errant point blast hit the arm of Flyers defender Chris Pronger, deflected off Wheeler and came right to Recchi for the tap-in.

Philadelphia failed to capitalize on an advantage a little over two minutes later, then came up empty on another power play with just over five minutes remaining.

Boucher was called to the bench for an extra attacker with more than two minutes to play and Bergeron hit the empty net with 1:52 left to ice the contest.

The Flyers took the lead just 2:32 after the opening faceoff, as Claude Giroux fed across to Asham for a shot just inside the right post. It was the first time all series the orange and black came out ahead on the scoreboard.

It didn't last long as Wheeler responded for the visitors by tipping in a Matt Hunwick point shot at 4:11.

"It'd be nice to play with the lead, obviously. We haven't had it at all this series and I don't know what to say," Boucher lamented. "It's frustrating when you don't have the lead and it seems like you are chasing all the time."

Boston went ahead at the 5:45 mark during an odd sequence. David Krejci was carrying the puck across the Bruins' blue line into the neutral zone when he was crushed with a hard check by Flyers captain Mike Richards.

Play continued though Krejci was shaken up, and Chara gained control. He dished ahead to Milan Lucic as he was curiously unmarked by Pronger, and Lucic sent Satan up the middle for a successful backhander past a diving Boucher.

"We had a big hit on that play. Richie (Mike Richards) had a big hit and Satan ended up getting a breakaway. He made a good move, and unfortunately I just couldn't get it," Boucher admitted.

Rask, who wasn't seriously tested despite 15 Philly shots in the second period, nevertheless needed to be strong at both posts to stop multiple stuffer attempts.

Boucher, on the other hand, came up with a glove stop inside of five minutes to play on a Daniel Paille breakaway chance.

The Bruins and Flyers both failed to convert late-period man advantages and the visitors remained ahead by one.

Game Notes

The Bruins are a perfect 16-0 when leading a best-of-seven series by a 3-0 margin...The Flyers have faced an 0-3 series deficit in best-of-seven playoff series six times in franchise history and have only forced a Game 5 on one occasion (2008 Eastern finals vs. Pittsburgh in a five-game defeat)...Krejci left the game briefly following the hit, came back, but did not return after the late stages of the second period...Recchi is the third-oldest player in NHL history to score in the playoffs, after Chris Chelios (age 45) and Gordie Howe (age 52)...Satan tied a career-best for goals in one playoffs with five, first set in 1998 with Buffalo.

 

 

 

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