Red Wings  3    Flyers  4

Recap: Philadelphia vs. Detroit

Sports Network | April 4, 2010

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Kimmo Timonen recorded a goal and an assist to help the Philadelphia Flyers take a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Wachovia Center.

The victory improved the Flyers' chances of making the playoffs, as they entered Sunday's contest tied with the New York Rangers for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with 82 points. Sunday's win, however, put Philadelphia into a tie with idle Boston for seventh.

Claude Giroux and Arron Asham also scored for the Flyers, who had won just once in their last eight games. Dan Carcillo lit the lamp in his first game back from a two-game suspension, while Brian Boucher made 31 saves.

"It was a 60-minute effort," Boucher said. "This is a big win for us today to help keep us going. It was a team effort. I hope we can keep it going."

Dan Cleary had a goal and assist for the Red Wings, who clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference despite the loss. Detroit, which sits in the sixth position, still locked up a berth after Calgary suffered a 4-1 defeat to Chicago.

It marks Detroit's 19th straight playoff berth, extending the longest active streak in pro sports.

Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm also scored in the loss, the Red Wings' second in a row. Chris Osgood made his first start since January 27 and let in all four goals on 25 shots.

"The key for me is skating," Osgood said. "It's been a tough season to me injury-wise, the groin especially. Tonight it felt great, no pain at all."

The Flyers got off to a quick start, as Carcillo's shot from the left circle beat Osgood over the shoulder only 17 seconds in. Seven minutes later while on a 4-on-2 rush, Philadelphia made it 2-0 after Ian Laperriere centered a pass for Timonen, who one-timed it into the net.

However, the Red Wings battled back to even the contest before the first intermission. Cleary stuffed in a rebound in front of the net at 14:08, and a little more than two minutes later, Helm's backhander got past Boucher to make it 2-2.

But Philadelphia went back ahead in the second period, when they controlled play; Boucher needed to make only five saves. Giroux's slap shot beat Osgood 53 seconds into the frame to give the Flyers the lead, and with 2:24 remaining, Asham one-timed Timonen's sharp pass from the left side.

The Red Wings got one of the goals back early in the third, as Datsyuk's snap shot at 2:22 had the visitors within 4-3. But Boucher stopped the 11 other shots he saw in the period, as the Flyers held on for the key win.

Cleary (groin) returned from a four-game absence...This was the only meeting of the season between the teams...The home team has won each of the last 14 meetings in this series, dating back to January 24, 1998...The Red Wings open a home-and-home series with Columbus in Detroit on Wednesday...The Flyers play at Toronto on Tuesday.