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Giroux returns, leads Flyers past Stars

Dec 22, 2011 - 5:45 AM Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Claude Giroux returned from a concussion and scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars.

Giroux had sat out the past four games with a concussion he suffered in a game against Tampa Bay on December 10 when he was kneed in the back of the head by teammate Wayne Simmonds.

The Flyers went 2-1-1 during his absence, but Wednesday saw him help the team snap a two-game losing streak and regain the points lead in the NHL as he now has 17 goals and 26 assists. He was tied with three other players coming into the game.

Jaromir Jagr scored the 657th goal of his career to move past Brendan Shanahan for 11th place all-time in the NHL. He also added an assist while Andrej Meszaros and Simmonds also scored for Philadelphia. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots.

Michael Ryder scored the lone goal for the Stars, who came into the game having won four of five. Richard Bachman was tagged for all four goals on 30 shots.

"You can't take away anything from Philadelphia because they played a solid game," said Dallas forward Steve Ott. "They took advantage of the power plays they had and when you give the top-scoring team in the league chances, they'll kill you."

The Stars scored less than a minute into the game when a turnover in their own end was taken the other way by Loui Eriksson. After crossing the blue line, Eriksson left a drop pass in the slot for Ryder, who flung a wrister over the glove of Bobrovsky.

However, the Flyers tied the game at the 8:30 mark of the opening frame as Jagr snapped a shot on net from the slot and Giroux was at the left side to slam home the rebound.

Vernon Fiddler was called for unsporstmanlike conduct at the 10:51 mark of the first as he showered Bobrovsky with snow after the whistle and the Philly power play went to work.

Holding the puck in the high slot, Kimmo Timonen blasted a shot on net that Wayne Simmonds tipped past Bachman with 8:24 to play in the first.

It was a 3-1 game in the second as the Flyers added another power-play goal after Jagr and Giroux worked a give-and-go with Jagr finishing the play off on a wrister into the net eight minutes in.

At the 5:22 mark of the third, Giroux sent a pass from the right boards near mid-ice to Meszaros, who was all alone and buried his shot for a 4-1 lead.

Game Notes

Luc Robitaille is 10th all-time in the NHL in goals with 668...Dallas hosts Nashville on Friday...Philadelphia continues its five-game road trip in New York against the Rangers on Friday...The Flyers have won six straight over the Stars...The Flyers went 2-for-5 on the power play, while Dallas was 0-for-3.