RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Daniel Briere scored three goals in the third period to lead the Philadelphia Flyers past the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Briere added an assist during his third career hat trick and first with the Flyers, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Mike Knuble had a goal and two assists, Kimmo Timonen also scored and Scott Hartnell added an empty-netter for Philadelphia, which snapped a two-game losing streak and won for just the second time this season when trailing after one period.

Martin Biron stopped 31 shots but allowed the NHL’s second-best power-play unit to connect three times. The Flyers entered having allowed one power-play goal in six games.

Matt Cullen had a goal and two assists, Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Staal also scored and Cam Ward stopped 15 shots for the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes, who have lost three of four.

Each of Briere’s goals put Philadelphia up by two. His first came 21 seconds into the period when Knuble intercepted Ward’s clearing attempt in the right circle and backhanded the puck to Briere, who scored on a forehand. Then, after Staal pulled Carolina to 3-2, Briere snatched the rebound of Braydon Coburn’s slap shot and tucked it between Ward’s pads and the post.

He capped the hat trick by scoring on the power play, when he weaved through the slot and fired a quick wrist shot that beat Ward high to his glove side with 5:21 left.

Brind’Amour gave the Hurricanes their only lead when his first-period goal made it 1-0. He fired a shot off Biron’s pads and then tapped the rebound past his glove for his 11th goal of the season and sixth against the team with whom he spent 81/2 seasons.

The Flyers led 2-1 in the second after scoring twice in less than 2 minutes, tying it when Knuble one-timed a rebound past Ward with about 5 minutes left. They took the lead when Timonen’s slap shot from the point beat a flopped Ward high to his glove side.

Notes: Philadelphia C Mike Richards had an assist to extend his point streak to seven games. … The Hurricanes lost for just the second time when Brind’Amour scores. … Philadelphia managed just three shots in the first period. … The Flyers improved to 2-5 when trailing after one period, and 10-0 when leading after two. … Carolina LW Andrew Ladd played in his 100th NHL game, and Cullen – in his second stint with Carolina – played his 100th as a member of the Hurricanes.

AP-ES-11-21-07 2151EST

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