[Drew]

Source: ESPN.com

Kim Johnsson had two goals and an assist, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.

Alexei Zhamnov and Tony Amonte each had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who snapped a three-game winless streak. Philadelphia came in tied with three other teams for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Robert Esche, who missed 10 games with a left knee injury, stopped 22 shots to record his first victory since Jan. 31. His best save came when he smothered a shot by Denis Arkhipov midway through the first period.

Scott Walker and Adam Hall scored for Nashville, which had a three-game unbeaten streak snapped. The Predators hadn't lost to the Flyers since a 2-0 defeat on March 21, 2000, going 2-0-2 in that span.

Johnsson gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead just 27 seconds in with his seventh goal. He took a pass in the slot from Amonte and lifted it just under the crossbar.

Simon Gagne set up the second goal with a pass to Amonte after a bruising check on David Legwand along the boards freed the puck behind the net. Zhamnov completed the tic-tac-toe passing play with a slap shot past goaltender Chris Mason, giving the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Zhamnov has seven points in six games with the Flyers since he was acquired from Chicago last month.

Amonte's 18th goal just 1:24 into the second period gave Philadelphia a 3-0 lead. Johnsson scored a power-play goal in the third for his first multigoal game of the season.

Walker snapped Esche's shutout bid with his 21st goal midway through the third period. Hall cut it to 4-2 with 7:29 left.

Sami Kapanen had an empty-net goal for the Flyers.


Notes

Before the game, former Flyers captain Dave Poulin became the 18th member of the organization inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. Poulin is in his ninth season as head coach at Notre Dame. ... Nashville began a three-game road swing against East teams. Eight of the Predators' next 10 games are away from home. ... The Flyers were without defensemen Marcus Ragnarsson (shoulder), Eric Desjardins (arm) and Dennis Seidenberg (leg) and All-Star centers Jeremy Roenick (jaw, concussion) and Keith Primeau (concussion).

[Jlg-28]

The Flyers were player perfect until after the 4th goal , then things got sloppy , but a win is a win and they needed this one to stay in the chase for the Conference lead