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Cruising under Ken Flyers improve to 7-1-2 under Hitchcock with 6-2 winPosted: Thursday October 31, 2002 10:10 PMUpdated: Thursday October 31, 2002 11:06 PM PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Robert Esche earned his bragging rights. Michal Handzus and Kim Johnsson scored 2:05 apart in the second period, and Esche made 18 saves against his former team to lead the Philadelphia Flyers over the Phoenix Coyoes 6-2 Thursday night. "It's definitely a high," said Esche, who came to the Flyers along with Handzus in the offseason trade that sent backup goaltender Brian Boucher to the Coyotes. "It was really exciting, just a great feeling. I didn't want to talk to any of them because I knew if I did, it would throw me off of my game." The Flyers are off to a 7-1-2 start under new coach Ken Hitchcock, and extended their unbeaten streak at home to five games (4-0-1). Phoenix has lost four of five. Eric Desjardins, Mark Recchi, Dennis Seidenberg and Jeremy Roenick also scored for Philadelphia. Branko Radivojevic and Shane Doan had the Coyotes' goals. Boucher, also playing against his former team for the first time, was shaky, allowing six goals on 35 shots. Fans taunted Boucher with chants of "Booosh" after a few of the goals. "I was nervous. I didn't play well and I'm glad it's over," said Boucher, who led the Flyers to within one game of the Stanley Cup finals as a rookie in 2000. "They are a good team, they are clicking on all cylinders and they are in your face all the time." Trailing 2-1 midway through the second period, the Flyers tied it when Johnsson lifted a shot over Boucher's shoulder. Handzus made it 3-2 with a shot through Boucher's pads. Philadelphia put the game away with two goals in the first 1:12 of the third period. Recchi's shot from just outside the right circle bounced off the skate of Coyotes defenseman Paul Mara and past Boucher, giving the Flyers a 4-2 lead 23 seconds into the third. Just 49 seconds later, Seidenberg took a pass from Paul Ranheim and slapped it past Boucher for his first NHL goal. "I thought the second half of the game we really turned it up," Hitchcock said. "After their fluke goal, it woke everybody up. That was good to see a response like that." The Flyers dominated the first period, but led just 1-0 because they were 1-for-5 on the power play. During one of their two two-man advantages in the period, Justin Williams hit the post. Coyotes coach Bob Francis wasn't too pleased with the penalty calls the entire game. Phoenix left wing Darcy Hordichuk was ejected in the second period after bumping into referee Mark Faucette following Handzus' goal. "I hope they look at the tape," Francis said. "Mark's back was to Darcy and Mark turned into Darcy. There was no intention of Darcy to hit Mark Faucette. Darcy had a vicious elbow from Handzus, they score on the play and emotions were high. And then Mark turned into Darcy." Phoenix scored two goals in a span of 1:51 to take a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Radivojevic's first goal of the season tied it at 1, and Doan scored on the power play to make it 2-1. Deron Quint set up the go-ahead goal with a shot from just inside the blue line. Flyers defenseman Chris Therien caught the puck and put it down near Doan, who wristed it into the top corner. Desjardins gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead during a two-man advantage just 2:10 into the game. His slap shot nearly hit Flyers center Keith Primeau on its way past Boucher. Roenick capped the scoring with his fifth goal late in the third. Notes: Boucher has started five straight games since Sean Burke
sprained his left ankle last week. Boucher was denied his 50th
career win. ... The Flyers had lost three straight to the Coyotes.
Their last win was 4-1 on March 13, 2000, at Phoenix. ... The
Coyotes return home to play Nashville on Sunday after opening the
season with nine of 12 games on the road. They are 0-3 at America
West Arena. ... Esche is 3-0 and has allowed just five goals. ...
Flyers defenseman Dan McGillis was a healthy scratch.
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