05-06-2019, 12:46 AM
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Flyers opened a crucial homestand needing wins any way they could get them.A variety pack of goals was the perfect way to start.Matt Read and Sean Couturier each had a goal and an assist to lead the Flyers to a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.The Flyers scored short-handed, on the power play, even strength, and into an empty net.Wayne Simmonds scored the power-play goal, and Jakub Voracek added the empty-netter to seal the win.The Flyers earned the win after dropping four of five on the road. Three of the four losses were by one goal. They have dropped to the bottom portion of the Eastern Conference and need to make the most of the four-game homestand to jump back into post-season contention.Its huge, especially if we want to stay in the playoff race, Couturier said.They got an unexpected lift from Read, who has only three goals and seven assists in 28 games. He had one of each in the first period, giving the Flyers a lead they wouldnt relinquish.I just keep shooting pucks, getting in front of the net, getting in the hard areas, Read said. Things kind of bounced my way tonight.With Steve Mason 0-5 against the Devils, Ray Emery got the start for the Flyers. Emery was 0-4 with a 4.12 GAA in his last four starts. But he was hardly tested with 17 saves against the Devils for his fifth win of the season — matching Masons total in eight fewer games.Emery improved his career record against New Jersey to 8-4-0-2 with a 1.78 GAA.Not even the return of leading goal scorer Mike Cammalleri (11) could spark the Devils. Cammalleri returned after missing two games with a strained gluteus muscle.Maybe weve got to get a little greasier, get to the net and find ways to get a little of the sandpaper to our game around the net, he said.The Flyers scored first on perhaps one of the unlikeliest of scenarios for a team that has struggled as much as any playing short-handed. The Devils had been spectacular of late, killing 44 of 49 power plays against during the last 14 games.But with the Devils down a player early in the first, Couturier scored his sixth goal for Philadelphias first short-handed goal of the season.They scored at even strength, too. Couturier blindly passed the puck in front of the net, Read pounced and stuck it past Cory Schneider for the 2-0 lead.I just fired backdoor, Couturier said. Luckily, he was there.Read scored 24 goals in the 2011-12 season and 22 last season, leaving him mystified about the cause of his season-long slump. He had his first multipoint game since April 6, 2014, against Buffalo and scored for the first time since Nov. 15.Coots pass was pretty lucky, it went through about three guys skates and landed right on my tape, Read said.The Flyers entered 13th in the Eastern Conference and seven points out of a playoff spot. With home games ahead against Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida, now is the time for the Flyers to gain ground.The Devils scored their lone goal in the second when Martin Havlat scored a power-play goal for the Devils. Havlat tipped Scott Gomezs slap shot from along the boards to cut it to 2-1.The Devils have lost two straight.We didnt panic with the 2-0 deficit, said Schneider, who had 32 saves. We stuck with it and got one on the power play, but they played pretty solid.Simmonds 12th goal stretched the lead to 3-1.NOTES: Devils C Dainius Zubrus sat out his second straight game with a leg injury. ... Flyers C Vinny Lecavalier was a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game. ... Gomezs assist tied him with Scott Stevens for fourth on New Jerseys career list. John MacLean is third with 354. ... New Jerseys Travis Zajac and Adam Larsson have come down the mumps. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said the team has been offered the vaccination and called the outbreak around the NHL a concern. Weve got it covered as much as we can. Clean buildings and wash your hands, and vaccines and everything else you can do, he said. Weve done everything we can do to protect our players and our staff. ... Voracek has 10 goals. Jaire Alexander Jersey . -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore has undergone surgery on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Clay Matthews Jersey . - Vince Carter, heading into his 17th NBA season, doesnt consider age a big issue anymore. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Customized/. -- Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was admitted to the hospital Friday for observation due to minor complications from cancer treatments, his family said. Aaron Rodgers Jersey . So far, so good: Gonzalez has allowed one run through 12 innings this season. His second start came Tuesday night, when he gave up only three singles over six innings to lead the Nationals to a 5-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Bart Starr Jersey . -- Arizona coach Bruce Arians says there "were obviously very, very many problems" with the officiating in the Cardinals 24-21 loss at Philadelphia.KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova for the 15th consecutive time, rallying in both sets for a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the Sony Open semifinals on Thursday. Williams, seeking a record seventh Key Biscayne title, improved to 16-2 against Sharapova and hasnt lost to her favourite foil since 2004. "I have always felt when Im playing at my best, then its hard for people to beat me," Williams said. Rafael Nadal could say the same. He advanced to the semifinals by hitting a flurry of forehand winners down the stretch to beat Milos Raonic 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. On Saturday, the No. 1-ranked Williams will try for a record seventh Key Biscayne title against No. 2 Li Na, who overcame 40 unforced errors to beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Williams is 10-1 against Li. No. 7-seeded Tomas Berdych advanced to Fridays semifinals, beating Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-4, 7-6 (3). Berdych was the Key Biscayne runner-up in 2010. The No. 1-ranked Nadal, who is 0-3 in Key Biscayne finals, needs one more win to get there again. His opponent Friday night will be No. 7-seeded Tomas Berdych, who advanced by beating No. 22 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 7-6 (3). Nadal has beaten Berdych 16 times in a row over the past seven years. "This tournament is a tournament where I really feel the love of the people so much," Nadal said, "so Im going to try my best to keep playing well." Three-time champion Novak Djokovic will play in the other semifinal Friday against No. 20-seeded Kei Nishikori, who eliminated Roger Federer on Wednesday. The No. 1-ranked Williams won with a superior serve and better returns. She hit nine aces and broke five times, helping her rebound from deficits of 4-1 in the first set and 2-0 in the second. Williams earned hher 14th consecutive victory against a top-10 player.dddddddddddd Her opponent in Saturdays final will be either Australian Open champion Li Na or Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia. Williams first won Key Biscayne in 2002 and is the defending champion. She has worn Miami Dolphins orange and turquoise throughout the tournament and considers it her home event because she lives 90 minutes up the road. "When I grew up I always wanted to play here," she said. "I guess I just dont want to let go. Its my favourite stop on the tour. Its home. All my friends come. So its perfect for me." There was no evidence of a home-court advantage at the start, when Williams failed to convert four early break-point chances and fell behind. Sharapova cracked a succession of winners from the baseline and earned applause from Williams after besting her in one exchange. But Williams broke back when Sharapova committed three consecutive backhand errors, and gained momentum from there, sweeping the final five games of the first set. The story was similar in the second set, and after falling behind, Williams resorted to her dominating power. She quickly won one game with two aces and two service winners during a period when she swept 11 consecutive points. Sharapova committed groundstroke errors on the final three points, and a victorious Williams trotted to the net, her left fist leading the way. She has more victories against Sharapova than against any other opponent. "Despite my results against her, I still look forward to playing against her because you learn so much from that type of level which she produces," Sharapova said. "You finish the match, and you know where you need to improve and the things that you need to work on." 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