FLYERS 4, CANADIENS 1: Danny Briere scored twice and rookie Matt Read added a goal and an assist as Philadelphia topped Montreal to become the third Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot.

Kimmo Timonen also tallied, fellow defenseman Matt Carle recorded two assists and Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves for the Flyers, who improved to 3-1-0 on their five-game homestand.

Philadelphia, which has won seven of eight in its own building and is 10-2-1 in its last 13 overall, climbed within two points of Pittsburgh for fourth place in the East.

Timonen opened the scoring just over 11 minutes into the game when he beat a screened Peter Budaj with a slap shot from the blue line only six seconds into Philadelphia's first power play of the night.

Montreal pulled even at 3:44 of the second as Tomas Plekanec received a breakout pass from Lars Eller and slipped a backhander past a sprawled Bryzgalov for his 15th tally.

Briere took over from there, scoring man-advantage goals less than 10 minutes apart later in the session for a 3-1 lead.

With just over 12 minutes remaining, Briere tipped Carle's wrister from the blue line past Budaj for his second goal in 30 contests. He completed his 40th career multi-goal performance with 2:22 left as he beat Budaj high to the short side from the bottom of the right faceoff circle.

Read capped the scoring late in the third when he converted cross-crease pass from the bottom of the right circle by fellow rookie Sean Couturier.

Budaj turned aside 29 shots for the Canadiens, who have lost four straight on the road.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Bryzgalov notched his seventh career assist and second this season on Briere's second goal as he made a pass from just above the crease to Jaromir Jagr at the Montreal blue line. ... Briere had scored only one goal in 29 games since registering a hat trick on Jan. 7 against the Ottawa Senators. ... Montreal lost in regulation for just the second time in nine contests (4-2-3). ... The Flyers have won seven consecutive home meetings with the Canadiens. ... Bryzgalov has allowed two goals or less in each of his last 11 games.