Flyers at Canadiens, Thursday 7:35 p.m.

Canadiens 4, Flyers 2

Flyers Drop Franchise High Eight Straight

If the measure of a tragedy is the number of tears shed by those watching, the Philadelphia Flyers 2006-2007 campaign has all the makings of a classic worthy of Shakespeare. Against the backdrop of a battered and nearly useless star Peter Forsberg, and an avalance of other injuries, Philadelphia suffered a 4-2 loss Thursday night before a sellout crowd at Montreal's Bell Centre.

After Philadelphia successfully weathered a blistering offensive assault by Montreal in the first period, the Flyers were bequeathed an opportunity to redeem themselves and take the lead when R.J. Umberger was rewarded a penalty shot after he was interfered with on a breakaway toward the Habs' goal. As Umberger went to his backand on Montreal gaolie David Aebeisher's front porch, he fanned, and the shot that may have broken Philly's recent series of unfortunate events was never to be fired.

Philadelphia still fought on, however, stopping all but five seconds' worth of two seperate two-man Montreal advantages in the first period, thanks in no small part to Flyers' goalie Anterro Nittymaki. But then, as if on cue, the gods turned against the luckless orange and black. Philadelpha quickly gave up two late - period power play goals to Canadiens Guillaume Letondresse (8th, 16:42) and Craig Rivet (4th, 17:45).

Nittymaki's heroic performance, 37 stops against 41 shots on goal, was wasted, and lost in the celebration of his counterpart, David Aebischer. Aebischer stopped only 28 of 30, but notched his 100th career victory.

The glimmers of hope and light that peered through briefly for Philadelphia Thursday night only served to put the darkness of their year into starker releif. In the second period, Flyers' winger Mike Knuble scored Philly's first goal at 5:41 to close the score to 2-1. Knuble continues to stay hot; the goal was his 14th, and his 9th in the last 13 games. Also in the second, Philadelphia got up off the deck after surrendering a near fatal shorthanded goal to Montreal's Mike Johnson (7th, 19:11), making the score 3-1. Just 19 seconds later, as if to remind all again of the possibility of a fresh start, Philly's Jeff Carter scored his second goal of the year, to close the period at 3-2, Montreal.

Montreal center Chris Higgins put all redemption beyond reach for the Flyers when he scored his 11th goal in 16 games by taking his own rebound off Nittymaki's pad and re-serving it into the Flyers' net. Higgins' goal made the score 4-2, and effectively closed the door on the Flyers.

News and Notes. . .Philly C Peter Forsberg is schedule to undergo "baseline testing" on Friday to see whether he can help the Flyers when they host visiting Ottowa Saturday afternoon. . . Forsberg is recovering from a concussion... Philly outhit Montreal 34-20 through 15:00 of the third period, and also got an inspired fight performance from left winger Ben Eager, who took on Montreal role player Garth Murray at 5:00 of the second period. Eager, who also showed some hustle and pluck in 7:19 minutes of ice time, got the best of the duel by most accounts, . . . .Montreal has sold out the Bell Centre 77 straight times. . .

C.J. Haddick