PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Mike Richards scored the game winning goal and Antero Niittymaki had 39 saves Friday afternoon as the Philadelphia Flyers beat Columbus, 3-2.
The victory ruined a homecoming for Blue Jackets Coach Ken Hitchcock, who was fired by Philadelphia last month, and then hired this week by Columbus.
Peter Forsberg and Freddy Meyer each had one goal and one assist for the Flyers, who won for the first time in four games.
Jason Chimera and Rick Nash scored goals, and Pascal Leclaire stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced for Columbus, which lost its eighth straight.
Tied at 2-2 after two periods, the Flyers scored the decisive goal at 2:02 of the third on Richards' 30-foot slap shot.
Philadelphia went 1-for-5 on the power play, and Columbus was 1-for-6.
