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04-05-2003, 08:19 PM
Not sure where the class part comes in?
Flyers outclass Lightning
Associated Press
4/4/2003
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers are heading into the playoffs on the right note.
Simon Gagne scored twice in only his second game back in the lineup to lead Philadelphia to a 4-1 victory Friday night over Tampa Bay.
The Flyers set a franchise record with their 23rd road win but settled for second in the Atlantic Division behind New Jersey, which beat the Rangers to clinch the Atlantic crown.
“We want to go into the playoffs playing well,” said Flyers winger Mark Recchi. “We feel good.
“We have one more game and then we go at it.”
Gagne, who missed 13 games with a groin strain before playing Tuesday against Columbus, has 12 points in 15 career games against the Lightning.
“This is good for him,” Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said. “This is what he needed.
“He's a goal scorer. He could have had four or five.”
Dmitry Yushkevich and Sami Kapanen also scored for the Flyers, who won their fourth straight game and are 5-0-2 in their last seven. Roman Cechmanek made 27 saves to for his 33rd win. The third-year goalie has two 30-win seasons.
Most encouraging, though, was Gagne's work.
“Tampa Bay, I like to play against,” said the fourth-year winger, who this season has three goals and three assists against the Lightning.
Southeast-champion Tampa Bay, which Wednesday clinched the first division title in its 11-year history, had its franchise-record 13-game unbeaten streak (7-0-6) snapped. That stretch was the second longest in the league this season; Vancouver had a 14-game unbeaten streak.
“Our players will be ready for the playoffs, I'll guarantee you that,” Lightning coach John Tortorella said.
While Tampa Bay prepares for a first-round matchup against Washington, the fourth-seeded Flyers get ready for Toronto.
“We have nine new players, Toronto has seven,” Hitchcock said. “The sweaters are the same, but the players have changed.”
Trailing 4-0 after two periods, the Lightning averted a shutout when Vincent Lecavalier scored his 33rd goal 19 seconds into the third.
Tampa Bay missed on two early opportunities when Martin St. Louis hit the post and Brad Richards fired a shot off the crossbar within the first two minutes.
Philadelphia connected twice in the first with Kapanen and Gagne scoring 1:29 apart. Kapanen's slapshot deflected off Fredrik Modin and Gagne's wrist shot from the left faceoff circle beat Nikolai Khabibulin high to the glove side.
Khabibulin had not lost in 16 games (12-0-4), matching Dallas's Marty Turco for the longest unbeaten streak this season. Khabibulin was pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots in two periods. Backup John Grahame stopped 10 shots in the third.
“The Lightning did miss some chances, but we hung in with what we had to do,” Recchi said. “We scored on our opportunities.”
Gagne scored his second goal, and ninth this season by redirecting a shot from Kim Johnsson. That gave Gagne his second two-goal game of the season. He had two against Florida on Dec. 10.
NOTES - Cechmanek, who notched his sixth shutout Tuesday against Columbus, entered Friday's game second in the league with a 1.84 goals-against average and is unbeaten in nine games (7-0-2) . . . The loss marked Tampa Bay's first home defeat since a 5-1 loss to Washington on Feb. 17. That ended the Lightning's nine-game unbeaten streak (5-0-4) at home.
Flyers outclass Lightning
Associated Press
4/4/2003
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers are heading into the playoffs on the right note.
Simon Gagne scored twice in only his second game back in the lineup to lead Philadelphia to a 4-1 victory Friday night over Tampa Bay.
The Flyers set a franchise record with their 23rd road win but settled for second in the Atlantic Division behind New Jersey, which beat the Rangers to clinch the Atlantic crown.
“We want to go into the playoffs playing well,” said Flyers winger Mark Recchi. “We feel good.
“We have one more game and then we go at it.”
Gagne, who missed 13 games with a groin strain before playing Tuesday against Columbus, has 12 points in 15 career games against the Lightning.
“This is good for him,” Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said. “This is what he needed.
“He's a goal scorer. He could have had four or five.”
Dmitry Yushkevich and Sami Kapanen also scored for the Flyers, who won their fourth straight game and are 5-0-2 in their last seven. Roman Cechmanek made 27 saves to for his 33rd win. The third-year goalie has two 30-win seasons.
Most encouraging, though, was Gagne's work.
“Tampa Bay, I like to play against,” said the fourth-year winger, who this season has three goals and three assists against the Lightning.
Southeast-champion Tampa Bay, which Wednesday clinched the first division title in its 11-year history, had its franchise-record 13-game unbeaten streak (7-0-6) snapped. That stretch was the second longest in the league this season; Vancouver had a 14-game unbeaten streak.
“Our players will be ready for the playoffs, I'll guarantee you that,” Lightning coach John Tortorella said.
While Tampa Bay prepares for a first-round matchup against Washington, the fourth-seeded Flyers get ready for Toronto.
“We have nine new players, Toronto has seven,” Hitchcock said. “The sweaters are the same, but the players have changed.”
Trailing 4-0 after two periods, the Lightning averted a shutout when Vincent Lecavalier scored his 33rd goal 19 seconds into the third.
Tampa Bay missed on two early opportunities when Martin St. Louis hit the post and Brad Richards fired a shot off the crossbar within the first two minutes.
Philadelphia connected twice in the first with Kapanen and Gagne scoring 1:29 apart. Kapanen's slapshot deflected off Fredrik Modin and Gagne's wrist shot from the left faceoff circle beat Nikolai Khabibulin high to the glove side.
Khabibulin had not lost in 16 games (12-0-4), matching Dallas's Marty Turco for the longest unbeaten streak this season. Khabibulin was pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots in two periods. Backup John Grahame stopped 10 shots in the third.
“The Lightning did miss some chances, but we hung in with what we had to do,” Recchi said. “We scored on our opportunities.”
Gagne scored his second goal, and ninth this season by redirecting a shot from Kim Johnsson. That gave Gagne his second two-goal game of the season. He had two against Florida on Dec. 10.
NOTES - Cechmanek, who notched his sixth shutout Tuesday against Columbus, entered Friday's game second in the league with a 1.84 goals-against average and is unbeaten in nine games (7-0-2) . . . The loss marked Tampa Bay's first home defeat since a 5-1 loss to Washington on Feb. 17. That ended the Lightning's nine-game unbeaten streak (5-0-4) at home.