Gagne’s goal lifts Flyers over Ottawa

The Flyers, thanks to tonight's dramatic 6-4 win over the Ottawa Senators at the sold-out Wachovia Center, head into the Christmas break in a content mood.

A 15-2-4 record in their last 21 games and two days off will do that to a team.

Simon Gagne's bizarre goal from the left circle - it deflected off two former Flyers defensemen - snapped a 4-4 tie with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining. The shot caromed off the skates of both Alexandre Picard and Jason Smith.

Mike Richards added an empty-net goal with 10 seconds to play.

Earlier, the Flyers' Center City Line of Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul and Scott Hartnell continued its torrid scoring pace, and Andreas Nodl notched his first NHL goal as the Flyers sent the Senators to their 10th consecutive road defeat (0-8-2).

Since the line has been assembled, it has 19 goals and 38 points in eight games.

Trailing by 4-2, the Senators scored two goals about three minutes apart to tie the score midway through the third period.

Dany Heatley scored from the slot, and defenseman Chris Phillips scored on a high drive - goalie Antero Niittymaki appeared to be screened - with 9:21 left in regulation.

In the second period, a power-play goal by Carter had given the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Braydon Coburn took a point shot that bounced off the boards behind the net, and Hartnell retrieved the puck and alertly kicked a backward pass to Carter, who backhanded his league-leading 26th goal into the net.

Nearly two minutes later, Nodl tipped a Kimmo Timonen point shot past goalie Alex Auld to put the Flyers ahead, 4-2.

There was some debate about whether the puck had deflected off Nodl or Ottawa's Phillips, but the goal was credited to Nodl.

A native of Vienna, Austria, who was selected by the Flyers in the second round of the 2006 draft, Nodl was playing in his 25th game with the team this year. He had been sent to the Phantoms earlier in the week but was recalled yesterday because of an injury to Scottie Upshall.

Three strange goals were scored in the first period, which ended with the Flyers erasing a deficit and holding a 2-1 lead.

Ottawa, which recorded a 4-1 win over the Flyers on Nov. 6, struck first when Nick Foligno jammed in his own rebound with 14:59 left in the first period. Foligno retrieved the rebound behind the net and scored on a wraparound after it appeared that Niittymaki would freeze the puck next to the post.

The Flyers tied it on a shot that looked more like a Phil Niekro knuckleball.

Matt Carle, from just inside the blue line on the left, bounced a wrist shot that went through Auld's legs with 13:27 to play in the period.

Josh Gratton and Jon Kalinski (first career point) worked hard to get the puck back to Carle at the point.

"I just took one step, got around their guy, and threw it on net," Carle said. "I think the puck had eyes of its own. I was definitely surprised it made it in.  They've got a good [defensive] core who are good at blocking shots.  Jason Smith usually bats everything down."