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Flyers top Red Wings 4-3 in pivotal game for playoff push

Posted at 8:51 AM, Mar 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-16 08:51:21-04

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Raffl scored two goals and the Philadelphia Flyers won a pivotal game in their playoff push, defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Tuesday night.

The Flyers have 78 points and pulled within one point of the Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card playoff berth.

The Flyers dominated the Red Wings early and outshot Detroit 23-3 in the first period. They held on after Detroit’s Tomas Tatar scored with 3:46 left in the game to make it 4-3.

Raffle and Wayne Simmonds both scored in the first to give the Flyers a lead they would never relinquish. With 14 games left this season, the Flyers need every point possible to reach the playoffs.

It’s crunch time: Philadelphia also plays Pittsburgh three times and is at Detroit on April 6. The Flyers are only four points behind the Penguins.