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  Sunday, Dec. 19 7:00pm ET
Desjardins pulls out tie for Flyers
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Even Eric Desjardins isn't sure what happened. But the Philadelphia defenseman will take the point.

Patrick Kjellberg
Patric Kjellberg, top, David Legwand and the Predators had reason to celebrate after Kjellberg's third-period goal, but they couldn't hold the lead.

Desjardins scored a fluke goal with 53.2 seconds left in the third period to give Philadelphia a 1-1 tie with Nashville, extending the Flyers' home unbeaten streak to 12 games Sunday night.

"You know what?" Desjardins said. "To be quite honest with you, I'm really not sure what happened."

Desjardins' slap shot from just inside the blue line bounced off the chest of Nashville defenseman Karlis Skrastins, who was tied up with Philadelphia's John LeClair in front of the net, and rolled between the legs of goaltender Mike Dunham.

"I just put the puck at the net," Desjardins added. "It hit one or two of their guys and ended up going inside the five hole. It was lucky but we'll take it."

Patric Kjellberg had scored midway through the third period for the Predators, who are winless in their last seven games (0-4-3).

But Nashville's performance impressed coach Barry Trotz.

"From our standpoint, that was a great game," Trotz explained. "Luck be what it is, their goal was going wide and hits our guy in the chest and falls down and goes into the net. But I was really impressed with our kids."

It was the third straight win for the Flyers, who have gone 10-0-2 since last losing at home to Vancouver 5-2 Oct. 26.

Kjellberg scored his 10th goal of the year at 10:42 of the third period, flipping the puck over Philadelphia goalie John Vanbiesbrouck's glove side after taking a pass from Cliff Ronning, who dug the puck out from behind the net.

"I think we frustrated the Flyers tonight," said Ronning. "They'd probably be the first to admit that. Our guys won a lot of battles against their big men."

Nashville outshot Philadelphia 3-2 in the overtime but Dunham foiled two scoring opportunities by John LeClair, stopping his backhander 1:28 into the period and his breakaway attempt with 1:30 left.

"We didn't play hard-work hockey, digging in the corners and going to the net," said LeClair. "They (Nashville) did a good job. They never quit."

Nashville missed three other scoring chances in the last 2:11 of the second period. First, David Legwand tipped the puck wide of an open net. Then Vanbiesbrouck kicked away Vitali Yachmenev's shot from the doorstep before a rebound attempt by Randy Robitaille bounced off the Flyer goalie's skate.

Nashville defenseman Kimmo Timonen, the team's second leading scorer with 22 points, was scratched after suffering a lower abdominal strain during the Predator's 2-2 tie with Colorado Saturday night. He is listed as day-to-day.

Philadelphia had outscored the Predators, 10-1 in its two previous wins over the second-year expansion team.
 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Nashville Clubhouse

Philadelphia Clubhouse


NHL West: Preds feeling growing pains


RECAPS
Phoenix 4
San Jose 3

NY Islanders 5
New Jersey 3

NY Rangers 5
Tampa Bay 4

Nashville 1
Philadelphia 1

Anaheim 3
Detroit 1

Ottawa 3
Edmonton 3