Carter scores overtime winner as Flyers win fourth straight

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Game Information

Arena: Wachovia Center Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Referees: Rob Martell, Mike Hasenfratz Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Darren Gibbs

Attendance: 18,227 (93.5% full)

Team Stat Comparison
198	Goals	260
274	Goals Against	232
54	Power Play Goals	71
73	Power Play Goals Allowed	67
12	Shorthanded Goals	16
5	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	1
1216	Penalty Minutes	1434
15	Average Penalty Minutes	17

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			NYI	PHI
7:45		Mike Knuble Assists: Simon Gagne, Steve Eminger	0	1
10:17		Bill Guerin (Power Play) Assists: Mark Streit, Doug Weight	1	1
15:29		Jeff Carter Assists: Ossi Vaananen, Luca Sbisa	1	2
2ND PERIOD			NYI	PHI
No scoring this period			1	2
3RD PERIOD			NYI	PHI
12:40		Andy Hilbert Assists: Mike Comrie, Andy Sutton	2	2
OT			NYI	PHI
4:37		Jeff Carter Assists: Mike Richards, Simon Gagne	2	3

PHILADELPHIA -- Jeff Carter doesn't believe in wasting scoring opportunities.

Carter scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, and the Philadelphia Flyers edged the New York Islanders 3-2 on Thursday for their fourth straight win.

Fast Facts

• The Flyers have won their last four games after starting the season 0-3-3.

• Philadelphia is 8-1 in its last nine games against the Islanders.

• New York has won five games in each of the last three Octobers but is just 2-6-1 this October.

-- ESPN research

"I'm just shooting every chance I get," Carter said after he scored on a one-timer from the front of the left circle on a power play with 24 seconds left in the extra session.

"Every time I get a good look at the net, I'm putting it on there," said the fourth-year center who has scored points in six straight games (six goals, three assists).

Carter said that he usually gets off to slow starts offensively.

"It's nice this year to get off hot," he said.

Flyers coach John Stevens is not surprised by Carter's fast start.

"He's bigger, stronger, faster, more fit and more confident," Stevens said. "He's matured into a good pro."

Mike Knuble also scored and Martin Biron made 34 saves for the Flyers, who have rebounded from a 0-3-2 start.

Knuble said that Carter's value to the team isn't just his goal-scoring ability.

"Every team would love to have a guy like him right now," Knuble said. "You talk about the goals he's scored, but it's been a full-time effort. The guy kills penalties and stuff like that. He shoots the puck so well, he can be a force when he gets going. He plays in every situation."

Bill Guerin and Andy Hilbert scored for the Islanders, who have dropped five straight games and six of their past seven.

New York coach Scott Gordon was not discouraged by the loss.

"I told our guys that tonight was just like a tie," Gordon said. "The secondary point would have just been a bonus. It is more about the 60-minute body of work that we put together. Tonight, our guys played a good hockey game."

The Islanders tied the game at 2-2 on a fluke goal at 12:40 of the third period. Hilbert's shot from in close bounced off the elbow of Flyers defenseman Ossi Vaananen and rolled behind Biron.

Carter broke a 1-1 tie at 15:29 of the period when he redirected Vaananen's long slap shot with a nifty backhand.

New York's Joey MacDonald, who replaced Rick DiPietro in the net for the second straight game, stopped 25 shots. DiPietro is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

"It was a tough game, but we got a point out of it," MacDonald said. "We had some chances. In overtime, we had the power play and had the puck in the crease, but we couldn't get any bounces in. We can take a lot of positives out of it."

Knuble put the Flyers ahead with a one-timer from the slot at 7:45 of the first period.

Guerin tied it on a power play 2:32 later with another one-timer from just inside the blue line.

Game notes
The Flyers saluted the Phillies' World Series win with a 60-second video tribute on the ArenaVision screen midway through the first period. ... Knuble extended his point-scoring streak to four games (4-1-5 ). ... Islanders defenseman Mark Streit (3-3-6 ) and center Doug Weight (0-4-4) each extended their point-scoring streaks to four games. ... The Flyers failed to score in the second period for the first time this season. ... The game was delayed for five minutes with 14.1 seconds left in the third period when a shot by Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn shattered a pane of glass along the side boards.