Flyers, Gagne keep on rolling down the road

Peter Forsberg isn’t sure what’s more impressive: the way the Philadelphia Flyers are piling up points on the road, or the rate at which Simon Gagne is scoring goals.

Gagne and Forsberg each had a goal and an assist, and the Flyers stretched their road-point streak to 14 games with a 3-1 victory over the host Washington Capitals on Friday night.

“We find a way to win every single game almost,” Forsberg said. “It’s the sign of a great team. … Good teams find a way to win on the road and win close games.”

Mike Rathje also scored for the Flyers, who improved to 7-0-1 on their 11-game road trip. Their only loss in that stretch was a shootout defeat last Saturday in Washington.

Philadelphia, which beat the New York Rangers on Thursday, has won three straight and 8 of 10.

With points in their next two road games, the Flyers would tie the team mark set in 1979-80.

This win didn’t come easily, however. The Flyers gave Washington eight power plays, and each team failed on a pair of extended two-man advantages.

“You don’t want to play pretty on the road; you just get the job done,” Rathje said.

Alexander Ovechkin scored for Washington, which has dropped three straight and four of five.

Gagne has scored 29 goals.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t scored more goals before,” Forsberg said of his left winger. “He knows what to do, and hopefully I can find him for a few more.”

Thrashers 6, Penguins 4: Ilya Kovalchuk put up his second hat trick of the season for host Atlanta, scoring his third goal into an empty net with 44 seconds left to clinch a victory over Pittsburgh.

Hurricanes 4, Islanders 1: Cory Stillman scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period to lead Carolina past New York. Kevyn Adams, Rod Brind’Amour and Justin Williams also scored for the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes, who won the last three games of a four-game homestand at Raleigh, N.C.

Red Wings 3, Predators 1: Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom scored a power-play goal and assisted on another, leading the Red Wings to victory over host Nashville. It marked the first time this season the Predators lost in regulation to a Central Division team. The Red Wings are 13-1 against teams in their division.

Stars 4, Mighty Ducks 3 (SO): Antti Miettinen scored in the fourth round of the shootout to send host Dallas past Anaheim.

Flames 1, Maple Leafs 0: Defenseman Robyn Regehr scored the only goal and Miikka Kiprusoff made 27 saves for his NHL-leading sixth shutout as host Calgary beat Toronto and snapped the Maple Leafs’ six-game winning streak. Kiprusoff earned his sixth win in a row and league-best 22nd of the season.