The Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins played for the first time since they faced off at Fenway Park in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. That day, the Flyers suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in overtime. This game would be far less dramatic as the Bruins were propelled to a 5-1 victory by three goals in a seven minute span of the second period.

“[We] should be desperate. We should be preparing for the real season,” said Ian Laperriere after it was pointed out that the Flyers came in 7-1-1 in their last nine games despite not playing very well since the Olympic break. “and play 60 minutes of hockey as a team. We haven’t done that for a while.”

Blake Wheeler gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead with just over 6 minutes left in the first period. The Flyers had a chance to tie it up in the final minute of the first period but Simon Gagne had the puck taken off his stick by Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask on a breakaway and it remained 1-0.

Less than it minute into the second period, Jeff Carter’s 32^nd goal of the year did tie it. Off of the faceoff following a boarding call against Boston Dennis Seidenberg, Carter blasted the puck past Rask after it hit a Bruin and was redirected his way. It wasn’t tied long, with his 14^th goal of the season, former Flyer Mark Recchi reclaimed the lead for the Bruins at the 4:37 mark.

By the midway point of the period, it was 3-1 Boston after Patrice Bergeron put home a rebound that Michael Leighton was unable to control. Less than a minutes later, Leighton was gone – he was lifted and replaced by Brian Boucher – when David Krejci scored while all alone in the slot in front of Leighton.

On Saturday, the Flyers host the Chicago Blackhawks.

Rock Hoffman can be reached at RDVSports@yahoo.com