Flyers open homestand with 4-1 win over New Jersey

PHILADELPHIA -- Matt Read and Sean Couturier each had a goal and an assist to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.

Wayne Simmonds added a power-play goal for the Flyers, and Jakub Voracek scored an empty-netter late in the third period to seal the win.

Martin Havlat scored for the Devils.

The Flyers opened a four-game homestand with a needed win after dropping four of five on the road. Three of the four losses were by one goal.

The Flyers have dropped to the bottom portion of the Eastern Conference and need to make the most of their upcoming home games to jump back into the playoff race.

They got an unexpected lift from Read, who has only three goals and seven assists in 28 games. He had one of each in the first period, giving the Flyers a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

The Devils have lost two straight.

With Steve Mason 0-5 against the Devils, Ray Emery got the start for the Flyers. Emery was 0-4 with a 4.12 GAA in his last four starts. But he was hardly tested against the Devils and earned his fifth win of the season - matching Mason's total in eight fewer games.

Not even the return of leading goal scorer Mike Cammalleri (11) could spark the Devils. Cammalleri returned after missing two games with a strained gluteus muscle.

The Flyers scored first on perhaps one of the unlikeliest of scenarios for a team that has struggled as much as any playing short-handed. The Devils had been spectacular of late, killing 44 of 49 power plays against over the last 14 games.

But with the Devils down a player early in the first, Couturier scored his sixth goal for Philadelphia's first short-handed goal of the season.

They scored at even strength, too. Couturier blindly passed the puck in front of the net, Read pounced and stuck it past Cory Schneider for the 2-0 lead.

The Flyers entered 13th in the Eastern Conference and seven points out of a playoff spot. With home games ahead against Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida, now is the time for the Flyers to gain ground.

The Devils scored their lone goal in the second when Havlat tipped Scott Gomez's slap shot from along the boards to cut it to 2-1.

Simmonds' 12th goal stretched the lead to 3-1.

NOTES: Devils C Dainius Zubrus sat out his second straight game with a leg injury. ... Flyers C Vinny Lecavalier was a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game. ... Gomez's assist tied him with Scott Stevens for fourth on New Jersey's career list. John MacLean is third with 354. ... New Jersey's Travis Zajac and Adam Larsson have come down the mumps. ... Voracek has 10 goals.