Flyers beat Bruins in shoot-out

Relentless is the Flyers' slogan this season, but in the first three weeks, Restless might be a more appropriate description.

Because of a quirky early-season schedule, the Flyers had played just once in their previous 11 nights - and were eager to return to the ice.

The rest did not turn to rust.

Claude Giroux scored the only goal in a shoot-out, lifting the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins tonight at the Wachovia Center.

The Flyers almost won it with 46 seconds left in regulation, but goalie Tuukka Rask stopped Jeff Carter on a breakaway, turning aside his backhanded attempt.

The Flyers, who finished with a 39-26 edge in shots, were killing a late hooking penalty to Simon Gagne. The penalty carried over for 23 seconds into overtime.

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, playing because of an injury to Ryan Parent, was one of the Flyers' top players. The defenseman had two assists and won a third-period fight against Boston's Trent Whitfield.

The Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak. They had not played since a loss in Florida last Friday.

"You want to play, for sure, but what can you do about it?" forward Ian Laperriere said before the game. "You've got to control what you can control, but you can't really do anything about the schedule."

"It almost doesn't feel like we're in the season because of all the down time," defenseman Danny Syvret said. "But once we get back into the swing of things, we'll start having some fun again."

Chris Pronger's second goal of the season gave the Flyers a short-lived 1-0 lead with 7 minute, 57 seconds remaining in the opening period.

After taking a nice feed from Matt Carle, Pronger sent a one-timer from the point that deflected off defenseman Mark Stuart and carried over the glove of Rask.

The Bruins quickly retaliated. After Mike Richards failed to clear the puck, Boston kept it in the zone, and Derek Morris' drive from the left point sailed past Emery, who appeared to be screened by Michael Ryder. The power-play goal tied the score at 1 with 2:34 left in the period.

Boston, playing its second game in as many nights and minus two top players who were injured, took a 2-1 lead when Matt Hunwick's point drive appeared to deflect off Pronger's stick and past Emery with 12:24 left in the middle period.

A little over a minute later, Dan Carcillo's hustle produced the equalizer, scored by Darroll Powe.

Carcillo's shot clanked off the left post, but he raced after the puck and, from behind the net, fired a backhanded pass to Powe in front. With Rask lying on his stomach and scrambling to get to his feet, Powe lifted the puck into the net, tying the score at 2.

Midway through the second period, Emery robbed David Krejci from the doorstep, making a sprawling save after the center redirected Andrew Ference's point drive.

Arron Asham, playing his first game as a member of Mike Richards' line, skated through the neutral zone and, from near the right-circle dot, beat Rask with a shot just inside the left post, putting the Flyers ahead, 3-2, with 6:54 to go in the second period.

Emery allowed a fat rebound, and Steve Begin swooped on it and knocked the puck into the net with 3:34 left in the second, knotting the score at 3-all.

Giving up goals late in a period has become one of the Flyers' downfalls. In the last three games, they have surrendered four goals with less than four minutes left in a period.