Flyers 4, Senators 3

OTTAWA - Daniel Briere had a goal and two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

R.J. Umberger, Scott Hartnell and Mike Richards also scored for the Flyers, while Antero Niittymaki stopped 29 shots in a rare start.

Playing without Daniel Alfredsson, their captain and leading scorer, the Senators got goals from Wade Redden, Dany Heatley and Christoph Schubert.

Ray Emery took over in goal in the second period in relief of Martin Gerber, who allowed three goals on 25 shots. Emery surrendered the final goal and made 16 saves as the Senators lost a third straight game for the first time since last March.

Trailing 4-3 entering the final period, the Senators did everything but tie the game as they pressed for the full 20 minutes. They had three power plays in the period and outshot the Flyers 10-7, but were unable to beat Niittymaki. Emery went to the bench for an extra attacker with a minute and a half to play in the third period, but the Senators couldn't pull even.

The Flyers' only pressure of the period came during one stretch late when they registered four shots in a 30-second span. Philadelphia held a 41-29 overall edge in shots.

The Senators came out of the first period with a 2-1 lead as Redden and Heatley sandwiched goals around Umberger's score.

Redden took a point shot that found its way through several bodies and past Niittymaki at 6:33 on the power play. After Umberger tied it less than two minutes later, Heatley wound up at the top of the faceoff circle and launched a speedy shot over Niittymaki.

Hartnell tied it at 2-2 just 58 seconds into the second period, but Schubert gave the Senators a 3-2 lead three minutes later when he banked a shot from the corner off Niittymaki's pad and in.

The rest of the period belonged to the Flyers as they outshot the Senators 19-10 and got goals from Richards and Briere to take the lead.

Notes: The Senators are 15-1 when scoring first ... Ottawa's Dany Heatley has appeared in 217 consecutive games dating to Jan. 28, 2004, while a member of the Atlanta Thrashers ... The Senators don't play again until Wednesday, when they travel to Uniondale, N.Y., to face the Islanders.