UNIONDALE, N.Y. - With one period remaining in this tumultuous five-game road trip, the Flyers had at least a chance to salvage something Wednesday.

The first two periods against the Islanders had gone much like the entire trip: a slow start, poor play in the defensive end, too many penalties, and a constant mixing of the line combinations because of a depleted roster.

But the ending was different this time.

The Flyers outshot the Islanders, 11-1, and pulled out a 2-1 victory. A tired team played its best hockey in the final 20 minutes of the trip, which ended with a 2-3 record.

Today, the team returns for the first of back-to-back games at the Wachovia Center. Buffalo visits for a 1 p.m. start.

Flyers coach John Stevens was encouraged by Wednesday's third period, in which Scott Hartnell scored the game-winning goal with 5 minutes, 27 seconds left in the game, but he was not pleased with the overall effort. It's something that plagued the Flyers the entire trip.

"We're certainly going to have to get better," Stevens said. "We can't not play a full 60 minutes at our best. It's a long trip. I think the guys are getting tired, but they found energy they maybe didn't have. It's a big two points we'll take home with us."

Backup goalie Brian Boucher was the primary reason the Flyers emerged from the first two periods tied, 1-1. He made 16 saves in the first and 11 more in the second. New York had five chances on the power play but converted just one.

The inconsistent play that haunted the Flyers during their three-game losing streak persisted.

"We were able to hang in there," Boucher said. "It wasn't the start we wanted. But at the same time, we were able to stick around to get the chance to win."

Stevens wouldn't go as far as to say that the victory "saved" the road trip. Defenseman Chris Pronger said it definitely wasn't the team's best play. But it was two points.

"We got great goaltending from Boosh and some timely goal scoring," Pronger said. "But you're not going to get that every single night. We have to continue to push forward and get better."

Emery in net. Stevens said yesterday that Ray Emery would start today's game against Buffalo. That means Boucher will likely play tomorrow against Atlanta.

Stevens, who has been secretive with his starting-goaltender decisions all season, said that given Boucher's play of late, he likely earned another start this weekend.

"It definitely has to be considered," Stevens said. "You almost have to give him a lot of credit for the win [Wednesday]. He came in and played well in Colorado. And he obviously played well the game before that."

On the trip, Boucher appeared in three games and stopped 78 of 82 shots. He won the two games he started.

Breakaways. Winger Arron Asham made his return to the lineup after missing four games with an oblique (side muscle) strain. But he played just 9:57 on 15 shifts. . . . Riley Cote dressed for just the sixth time this season. He played a team-low 5:38. . . . Forward Danny Briere won't face his former team today as he serves the final game of his two-game suspension. . . . The Flyers are expected to send little-used defenseman Danny Syvret to the AHL's Phantoms today.

Contact staff writer Matt Gelb

at 215-854-2928 or mgelb@phillynews.com.