Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Flyers continue charge for playoff spot, regroup to defeat struggling Islanders

KoVVIayjBdgf
Brandon Manning's first career NHL goal was the game winner and Steve Mason made 23 saves to lead the Flyers to a convincing 4-1 win over the Islanders to move one point behind the final playoff spot in the East.

OK. Maybe the Philadelphia Flyers suffered a setback against their rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, over the weekend.

The disappointment was only temporary.

In the thick of a playoff race for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers got back in the win column on Monday, defeating the New York Islanders by a final score of 4-1. Philadelphia moves back within a single point of the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot in the East, with a game in hand on Detroit, as well.

Meanwhile, the Islanders, holders of the first Wild Card spot in the East, have lost four straight -- including a shootout defeat to Pittsburgh -- and are now only three points ahead of Philadelphia.

The Flyers, on a four-game road trip, enter the second half of a back-to-back on their schedule, as they play the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team in contention for a high lottery pick, on Tuesday.

Brandon Manning, playing in his 66th NHL game, scored his first career NHL goal on a wrist shot to the top corner late in the second period. Turns out, that goal would be the winner.

Philadelphia added to its lead with goals from Sam Gagner and an empty-netter from Claude Giroux to secure the win.