ESPN NHL

PITTSBURGH -- James van Riemsdyk and Jeff Carter scored two goals each, Matt Carle had a goal and two assists, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time in four games this season by winning 7-4 on Thursday night.

Chris Pronger added a goal and an assist as the Flyers took leads of 2-0 and 5-2 in winning for the second night in a row and the sixth time in eight games, and against the opponent that frustrates them the most. The seven goals were a Flyers' season high and gave them 13 in two nights, as they beat Toronto 6-2 on Wednesday.

The Penguins had won the first three games of the season series and 10 of 13 against the Flyers -- and that didn't count last season's Eastern Conference playoff series victory. Pittsburgh had eliminated Philadelphia in the playoffs the last two seasons.

Sidney Crosby scored twice for the Penguins, his 25th and 26th goals, but the Penguins gave up too many odd-man rushes and weren't strong enough in net to win. They lost their seventh in nine games and now begin a five-game road trip that winds up with a three-game western Canada swing.

The Flyers chased slumping goalie Marc-Andre Fleury less than two minutes into the second period when Pronger scored from just inside the blue line, putting them up 4-2. Fleury angrily threw his stick down the runway that leads to the dressing room as he left the ice and was replaced by Brent Johnson, who gave up van Riemsdyk's second goal of the game 74 seconds later to make it 5-2.

Fleury allowed four goals on 15 shots while losing his fifth in a row, with Carter and Carle scoring as Philadelphia converted both of its power plays. Carle hadn't scored since Oct. 31 against Carolina.

Flyers goalie Michael Leighton made 35 saves to beat Pittsburgh for the first time in four career starts.

Crosby, held to two goals in his previous nine games, scored midway through the second to get the Penguins back within two goals, but Carter later got his 16th of the season and second of the game to restore Philadelphia's three-goal lead at 6-3.

The Penguins' NHL-worst power play went 0 for 3. The Penguins have 27 goals on a league-high 187 power plays (14.4 percent).

Evgeni Malkin, last season's NHL scoring champion, was held without a goal for the seventh consecutive game although he had two assists. He came in with five goals and seven assists in his previous eight games against the Flyers.

Game notes

Penguins D Sergei Gonchar (foot) sat out a fourth consecutive game. ... Penguins assistant coach Mike Yeo, hospitalized last weekend during a Florida road trip, watched from the press box. ... Carter also scored twice against the Penguins on Oct. 8. He has five goals against Pittsburgh this season. ... Mike Richards added an empty net goal, his 19th tally, with 32 seconds remaining.