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Read leads the way as Flyers sink Isles

Mar 2, 2012 - 4:44 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Matt Read totaled three points on two goals and one assist, as Philadelphia downed the New York Islanders, 6-3, in its first contest on friendly ice after a four-game road trip.

Jaromir Jagr and Andrej Meszaros both added a goal and a helper for the Flyers, who won for the third time in five games and overcame the loss of forward James van Riemsdyk.

The 22-year-old left the game after blocking a shot late in the first period and did not return. He was diagnosed with a broken bone in his left foot and will be further evaluated on Friday.

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 21-of-24 shots in the victory.

"It is a very nice and important two points for the standings," Bryzgalov noted as his club climbed to fifth in the East. "The last couple of games against the Islanders were tough. It wasn't that much easier tonight, but the team put in a very good effort and I think we deserved the win."

Josh Bailey tallied twice and Kyle Okposo once for the Islanders, losers of three straight and five of six. Evgeni Nabokov was shelled for five goals on 29 shots in defeat.

Bailey knotted the game 50 seconds into the second, but Jagr managed to slide a backhander home from the top of the left circle at the 8:58 mark to put the Flyers ahead for good.

Read made it 4-2 only 39 seconds later when he tipped in a Wayne Simmonds feed from the right side.

Scott Hartnell upped the hosts' advantage to three goals with 1:07 played in the third. The marker was his 31st of the year and a new career high, besting his 30 from three seasons ago.

Okposo got the Isles within 5-3 just before the midway point of the third, but New York misfired on an advantage with 4:56 to play.

Nabokov went to the bench for an extra skater inside the final two minutes, and Sean Couturier's bank shot off Okposo into the empty net sealed the win.

"We let it slip away," Bailey stated. "They got a good team and they're going to put pressure on us and get scoring chances. We just need to find a way to win, bottom line."

Bailey converted his own rebound from atop the crease just 1:35 into the game, but Read redirected a Meszaros slap-pass in the slot with 9:41 played.

Philly took a 2-1 lead on a power play. Meszaros' point blast hit the right post, and caromed off Nabokov's backside before crossing the goal line with 49.5 seconds to go in the first.

"We have been talking about it and it has been awhile since we have scored the first goal," said Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. "We want to win big games, we can't be down all the time. We know that. We just need the better starts, pretty much for every period. We have to fix that."

Game Notes

Read hadn't scored since February 2...Jagr passed Joe Sakic and stands alone in eighth place on the all-time points list with 1,643... Timonen notched his 500th career point with an assist on Jagr's goal...Flyers forward Danny Briere's goalless streak reached 18 games, dating back to his hat trick on January 7 against Ottawa...Bailey recorded his third career multi-goal game...Prior to the contest, the Islanders activated defenseman Dylan Reese from injured reserve...New York forward Corey Cizikas recorded his first two career points -- both primary assists...Claude Giroux added three helpers for the victors.