Carter's first career hat trick key, as Flyers outlast Maple Leafs

Courtesy of the Sports Network

Jeff Carter notched the first hat trick of his career and added an assist, as the Philadelphia Flyers outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs, 8-5, in the back end of a home-and-home set at the Wachovia Center.

Danny Briere had a goal and three assists while Claude Giroux added a goal and two helpers for the Flyers, who had dropped three of four coming into the game. Marty Biron stopped 27 shots in the win.

Philadelphia now has 94 points on the season and moved into the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Carolina. Also, the Flyers have a game in hand on the Hurricanes and play in Ottawa on Saturday.

Nikolai Kulemin had a goal and two assists while Luke Schenn and Jamal Mayers each added a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three of their last four. Martin Gerber and Curtis Joseph each saw time in net, with Gerber giving up six goals on 30 shots and Joseph allowing two goals on five shots.

On Wednesday, Ian White netted the game-winner in the second period and Joseph was solid with 32 saves to help Toronto to a 3-2 win over Philly.

The Flyers assumed a large lead in the first period, scoring five times while blanking the Leafs for the opening 20 minutes.

Randy Jones got things started, as he backhanded a loose puck into the net just 4:24 in, and Giroux made it 2-0 at the 7:48 mark when he slammed the puck in from down low.

Philadelphia made it 3-0 on the power play, as Mike Richards sent a pass from the left point to the slot where Simon Gagne kicked it from his skate to his stick and wristed the puck through a screen at the 9:02 mark to chase Gerber from the net.

Joseph, though, fared no better, as Scott Hartnell got his 30th goal of the season when his shot from the top of the left circle went off the stick of Pavel Kubina and snuck into the net with 3:37 left in the frame.

Carter completed the barrage 1 1/2 minutes later as he was sprung on a breakaway and lifted a backhand into the top of the net.

Carter notched his second goal of the game 6:48 into the second period, as he redirected a Briere pass at the left side of the net.

Toronto was not subdued, as it notched three goals on three straight shots in the latter portion of the second period to cut its deficit in half.

On the power play, Schenn notched his second goal of the season, as his shot from the right point went through a screen, and Boyd Devereaux scored 1:37 later when his one-timer went past Biron's glove

Mikhail Grabovski made it a 6-3 game with 11.4 seconds left in the frame, as his turnaround slap shot beat Biron.

Carter went on to complete the hat trick 4:37 into the third period, when his shot from a sharp angle at the left side squeezed past Gerber.

Toronto got a goal back at the 7:32 mark, as Biron left a lazy rebound in front and Kulemin wristed it home.

Less than three minutes later, Giroux hit Briere with a perfect pass in the slot and Briere fired it home for the club's eighth goal of the contest. It was the first time Philly registered that many goals against Toronto since March 19, 1989 in an 8-6 victory.

Toronto got a goal from Mayers with 8:21 to play to account for the final score.