Flyers Rescue Season Behind Interim Coach and a Few Good Bounces Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press The Flyers seem to have figured out the system of the interim coach Craig Berube, gaining points in eight of their last nine games and going 5-0-1 in their last six. PHILADELPHIA - On Nov. 1, one month into the N.H.L. season, the Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Alex Ovechkin-less Washington Capitals, 7-0. They took nearly three times as many penalty minutes as shots, and goalie Ray Emery attracted criticism by leaving the crease to fight Washington's Braden Holtby. The Flyers" record fell to 3-9, and their star center Claude Giroux still had not scored a goal. But just when it looked as if the Flyers would sink into mediocrity, or worse, a low point became a tipping point. Giroux snapped a 15-game goal drought with a third-period goal in the Flyers" 4-2 home win over the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 9, and the team's play started improving. Now 9-10-2, Philadelphia has moved up to fifth in the Metropolitan Division. "Confidence is a big thing, especially with your top players," said Berube, who took over when Peter Laviolette was fired after three games. Berube preaches aggressive forechecking to force turnovers, and the Flyers are taking his direction to heart. This season's troubles began at home, where the Flyers typically play well. Philadelphia has finished with a sub-.500 home record only once since 1993-94. But through nine games, Philadelphia had lost as many home contests in regulation, seven, as it did all of last season. "We haven't been a good hockey club at home," goalie Steve Mason said. We've had leads going into the third and let them go, and that's a lot of valuable points. The Flyers may have announced capacity crowds for every home game this year, but with pockets of empty seats and tickets available on secondary markets for below face value, the fans seem to be cautious. While Giroux's play has the Flyers breathing easier, Philadelphia's 44 goals are third-fewest in the N.H.L. The third line of Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Steve Downie, who arrived in a trade from Colorado on Oct. 31, has picked up the offensive slack. They have combined for 14 points in the Flyers" last six games. After a listless start Thursday left Philadelphia trailing the last-place Buffalo Sabres, Couturier and Downie set up Read's two goals in Philadelphia's 4-1 victory. "I think the first period we got away from our system," Read said. "We talked on the bench, Downie, Couts and I, and we said, "Let's keep it simple, get the puck deep and go to work," and it happened." The bounces that went against the Flyers in the season's first month are also going their way now, as they did against Ottawa on Tuesday. With 10 minutes left in regulation and the score tied at 2-2, Senators forward Bobby Ryan found Kyle Turris at the top of the crease with a wide-open net. But Turris's shot, instead of putting the Senators ahead, hit defenseman Nicklas Grossmann's leg and stayed out. It appeared to be a goal from some angles, but the video review was inconclusive and the no-goal ruling was upheld. "I think it was more of a reflex than anything," Grossmann said. I was pretty sure it was out, but then I saw the review, and you never know. It looked like the puck wasn't in. Seconds later, Kimmo Timonen scored the first of two Philadelphia goals in 23 seconds and the Flyers went on to win, 5-2. Against Buffalo on Thursday, Read scored his second goal after Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers's clearing attempt hit the linesman's skates and the puck stayed in the zone. Downie corralled the loose puck and found Read for the eventual game-winner. "We got a couple lucky bounces and a couple of lucky goals," Read said. Over the past decade, Philadelphia has had a love-hate relationship with a revolving cast of goaltenders. The latest to exit was Ilya Bryzgalov, who was bought out this off-season and replaced by Mason. After winning the Calder Trophy in 2008-9 with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Mason was inconsistent. The Blue Jackets dealt him to Philadelphia at last season's trade deadline, and the change has helped him. Through 15 games, Mason is ninth in the N.H.L. in save percentage (.932) and 10th in goals-against average (2.12). Late in the second period Tuesday against Ottawa, Mason went post to post to rob Clarke MacArthur. He then smothered Turris's third-period penalty shot, keeping the Flyers ahead by two. "He's been playing well all year," Berube said of Mason. Big save on the penalty shot. That was a huge, timely save. The Flyers may have also come up with a timely save of their season.