Flyers beat Isles for 13th straight time, Richards, Carter and Hartnell avoid woods

Never underestimate the effect that threatening to abandon people in the woods to re-enact a beloved children's film can have on their professional lives. I did just that prior to the Flyers game at Tampa, which started the team's current six game road trip.

I announced that Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter should be forced to live out the film "Homeward Bound" in order to learn a valuable lesson about teamwork and survival skills. Also, let's face it... it's a wonderful film. So here we sit, at the halfway mark of the trip and it seems that my quasi-idle threat may have woken up the three players in question.

The Flyers are 3-0-0 thus far and while the wins haven't been pretty or against any team likely to make the playoffs, they've been wins nonetheless and those have been in short supply for the orange and black as of late. Credit is due to Michael Leighton, who has stepped in admirably in place of injured goalies Ray Emery and Brian Boucher. Danny Briere set his head straight and has found the back of the net in two of the three games. He had a third goal disallowed, wrongfully so if you ask me but that's all in the past now.

I'm not one to hold grudges, nor am I one to brag but allow me to do a little of the latter right now.

Richards (Shadow)- 3 goals, 1 assist, +2, 16 SOG Shooutout GW vs. Carolina
Carter (Chance)- 2 goals, 1 assist, +2, 2 PIM, 12 SOG, 1 GWG
Hartnell (Sassy)- 0 goals, 3 assists, +2, 2 PIM, 11 SOG

The Flyers played possibly their most complete game of the trip on Sunday against the Islanders, beating them for the 13th straight time. The Carter, Briere, Hartnell line provided all the offense that the team would need, with Briere scoring first and Carter breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period.

Former Flyer Jon Sim netted the only goal of the contest for the Islanders and another former Flyer, Marty Biron made 28 saves on 30 shots in the losing effort, his third of the year against his old club.

The Leighton Train kept right on a'rollin for the Flyers as he made 28 saves on 30 chances to earn his third straight win since being claimed off of waivers from the Hurricanes. Leighton has played so well that the team hasn't committed to giving the start against the Rangers on Wednesday to Boucher, who should be good togo by then.

Another guy getting a chance to step up due to an injury was Danny Syvret who replaced Ryan Parent, who is day-to-day with back spasms. Syret play 14:40 and recorded 1 SOG, finishing the game with a +1 rating.

The Flyers will be back in action tomorrow night against the NY Gaborik/ Lundqvists... I mean Rangers. Haha. Slip of the tongue there. The Flyers will look to avenege a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the broadway blue shirts from Dec. 19. During that game they shut down Gaborik, but were unable to solve Lundqvist after Chris Pronger beat him to tie the game at one. With a win in regulation, the Flyers will tie the Rangers in the standings with 40 points each. It's also the team's last game before they meet the Bruins on New Year's Day for the NHL Winter Classic.