The Flyers' crucial 11-game march to make up lost ground continued in winning fashion Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center.
Dave Hakstol’s club routed a rather undisciplined New York Islanders team, 4-0, for their third win in succession and fifth straight at home. They began the day four points out of a wild-card spot.
Matt Read had a three-point game with a goal and two assists. He had been benched three games earlier for “complacency,” he admitted.
His last three-point effort came Dec. 4, 2013, in Detroit.
Referees Eric Furlatt and Trevor Hanson seemed in competition the entire afternoon for who could whistle the most penalties. The game had no flow to it, especially in the second period.
Notable chances
Brayden Schenn, who had two goals in his previous three games, fanned on an open net in the first period off a splendid pass from Michael Raffl.
NHL
Faceoffs
The Flyers won 63 percent in the first period. One reason why they controlled puck in the offensive zone so much. They finished winning 34 of the 56 faceoffs Saturday.
Notable goals
How about the nice pass from Read that allowed defenseman Evgeny Medvedev to walk down the slot and score unobstructed on Jaroslav Halak in the second period for a 2-0 lead.
Read had two early assists and scored the Flyers' third goal of the game. Raffl and Sean Couturier also scored for the Flyers.
Couturier, who had a goal and an assist, now has 12 points in his last 10 games. He also has a goal in each of the last three games and four of his last five.
Goalie report
Steve Mason recorded his third shutout of the season, finishing with 20 saves. Halak had the tougher day at the office, yielding four goals on 31 shots against.
Hits
NHL hit leader Matt Martin finished with 10 hits.
Power play
It's just not the same without defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere on the top unit. Mark Streit took over his old job, but there no cohesion and great indecision all around.
The Flyers were 0 for 5. Awful. The Islanders were 0 for 3.
Penalty kill
Both teams combined for seven penalties in an atrocious second period and both killed all of its penalties Saturday.
Fight
Brandon Manning lost a narrow decision to Anders Lee late in the game.
Scratches
Forward Jordan Weal (healthy) and Gostisbehere (right knee injury).
Up next
The Flyers don’t play again until Wednesday when they host the Boston Bruins.