Third Period Goals Doom Flyers

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Douglas Murray and Milan Michalek scored 42 seconds apart early in the third period to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 victory over the Flyers on Thursday night.

"This is a challenge and there is nobody outside of our locker room that is going to make a difference," Philadelphia coach John Stevens. "It's up to each guy to make a difference."

The season keeps getting worse for the Flyers, who started the month as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. They lost their ninth straight game (0-8-1) and the home crowd booed a team that dropped out of the conference playoff standings.

"We better turn things around quickly now or we're not going to be in a good spot," said Jason Smith.

Jonathan Cheechoo scored his 17th goal for the Sharks, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Evgeni Nabokov made 26 saves for San Jose.

"It's not that we've been playing poorly. We just haven't been able to score," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "Fortunately, we kept our composure and our poise and got the job done in the third period."

Mike Knuble scored his 22nd goal for the Flyers, who said before the game that Gagne will miss the rest of the season because of a concussion.

Knuble scored with 6 seconds left in the second period to tie the game at 1. So many times this season, the Flyers were the ones who suffered breakdowns around the net in the waning moments of a period, a disastrous habit that has irritated Stevens.

The goal was responsible for the loudest cheers of the night.

"We're not playing with a lot of confidence right now and it's affecting our work ethic and our concentration level," Smith said.

Whatever lift the Flyers hoped they could carry into the third period was wiped out by two quick goals by San Jose.

Michalek's 20th goal seemed to trickle through Martin Biron's legs for a 2-1 lead 3:35 into the third. The Sharks needed only 42 seconds to score again, this time when Murray's first career goal bounced off Biron and into the net like a basketball bank shot.

"Now is the time to start building on a winning streak," Murray said.

Cheechoo's goal from the high slot late in the first gave San Jose a 1-0 lead.

Notes: The Flyers honored Sharks C Jeremy Roenick for his 500th career goal. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren hugged Roenick, who played three seasons with the Flyers, and presented him with a Tiffany crystal. ... Gagne was told with proper rest the symptoms should not affect the remainder his career.