Hartnell leads Flyers over Maple Leafs, 4-3

Flyers center Brayden Schenn continued his sizzling scoring and, in the process, netted the game-winner and got the best of his big brother on Thursday night at the charged-up Wells Fargo Center.

Schenn scored his fourth goal in seven games, and Scott Hartnell had a "Gordie Howe hat trick" - a goal, an assist, and a fight - as the Flyers outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3, and ended their losing streak at three games.

With a little less than five minutes remaining in the second period, Schenn scored on a rebound to put the Flyers ahead, 4-2. He did it while his brother, Luke, was on the ice as a Toronto defenseman.

"It's nice to rub one in, I guess," Brayden Schenn said with a smile.

The Schenns' parents were not at the game.

"I don't think they can cheer for just one team," said Brayden Schenn, who scored by pouncing on Danny Briere's rebound. "I think they just hope for me and Luke to have good games."

That's what happened Thursday. Brayden Schenn scored the game-winner and won eight of 13 (62 percent) faceoffs. Luke Schenn had two assists, three hits, and five blocked shots.

Brayden Schenn, 20, acquired in the Mike Richards deal, was slowed by a shoulder injury, a broken foot, and a concussion earlier this season, but he has blossomed in the last few weeks.

"He finally feels like he's here," coach Peter Laviolette said. "It was a tough start to have three injuries like he did . . . and they were substantial injuries. I think it does take away from your timing and your conditioning and the game shape you need to be in, and now he's getting it back and finding his way out there."

With the Flyers clinging to a 4-3 lead, Luke Schenn leveled Claude Giroux while the Flyers were in Toronto's end. The Leafs went down the other end, and Sergei Bobrovsky made a key stop on Tyler Bozak (two goals) on a rebound with 5 minutes, 16 seconds left.

In addition to Schenn and Hartnell, Talbot and Giroux scored for the Flyers. Talbot tied a career high with his 13th goal, and Giroux scored just his second goal in the last 17 games, excluding an empty-netter.

Hartnell, with a feed from behind the net, set up Giroux's goal, which was scored 74 seconds before Schenn's.

"Scotty is not known for his passing, but once in a while he'll have a nice pass," Giroux cracked.

The pass gave Hartnell his "Gordie Howe hat trick" - the assist to go with his goal and fight.

"Anytime you can get a 'Gordie' - it doesn't happen too often," Hartnell said proudly, after scoring his team-high 26th goal - the Flyers' first opening-period score in the last four games. They are 14-4-3 when Hartnell scores a goal.

Hartnell opened the scoring and immediately dropped the gloves and fought Dion Phaneuf.

"That was probably the best celebration of a goal I've ever seen," Talbot said. "I told Scott, this was amazing. It's pretty cool. No fist-pump or anything. Just drop the gloves and go."

Phaneuf, the Toronto captain, may have been upset by a comment Hartnell made to him after the winger set up a goal in the All-Star Game. As Hartnell, wearing a microphone for the game, skated past the opponent's bench in that game, he said, "Bleep it, Phaneuf."

Bobrovsky, who in his previous game allowed six goals in 28:22 against New Jersey, got the start because Ilya Bryzgalov was suffering from the flu. Bobrovsky allowed three goals, but one deflected off teammate Braydon Coburn's skate, and another was scored as teammate Kimmo Timonen was pushed atop him.

The Flyers were coming off a 1-0 shootout loss to the Islanders Tuesday in which they had 45 shots - their second-most in a shutout in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They outshot the Leafs, 39-27.

Flyers defenseman Andrej Meszaros set up Talbot's goal, had four hits, blocked three shots, and was plus-3.