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Briere scores a pair of goals as Flyers put out Flames

Oct 5, 2007 - 6:29 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Daniel Briere's debut on the ice for the Philadelphia Flyers went a little better than Mike Keenan's behind the bench for the Calgary Flames.

Briere scored a pair of goals in his debut with the Flyers, including the game-winner late in the third period as the Flyers opened their season with a 3-2 victory over the Flames on Thursday.

Signed away from the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason to an eight-year, $52 million contract, Briere was the centerpiece in the overhaul of a team that was a disappointing 22-48-12 last season.

He wasted little time making an impact, giving the Flyers the lead early in the opening session and scoring with just over a minute left in the third to send the Flames to their fifth straight season-opening loss.

"It's definitely a good feeling when you start with a new team," Briere said. "Everyone's been talking about the new Flyers. It's great to get a win on the road in one of the toughest buildings to play in.

"It's not just about me, it's about the team. But there's no doubt it feels great personally to help your team and be part of a big win like tonight."

Calgary was putting the pressure on the Flyers in the final session before Simon Gagne came up with a turnover near center ice. He found Briere streaking in, and the star center did the rest, lifting the puck over the left shoulder of goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff to put the Flyers ahead, 3-2.

"I went with a shot that was comfortable," Briere said. "I expected him to go butterfly and I was ready to go over his shoulder."

"We had a chance to play together in preseason," Gagne said. "If we can play like that every night, it's going to be fun."

Briere opened the scoring after he won a faceoff in the offensive zone and took a pass behind the net. He swept out in front for a wraparound shot but initially was stymied by Kiprusoff.

Briere got the rebound, corralling the puck with his skate, and slid his second shot under the Finnish netminder to put Philadelphia in front, 1-0.

Mike Knuble doubled the Flyers' lead just under five minutes later, when he took a pass from the right corner by Gagne and buried a wrist shot from just outside the crease.

Former Flyer Daymond Langkow halved the deficit with a power-play goal 6 1/2 minutes into the second period and tied the game at 2-2 in the third.

With the Flames trailing, 2-0, in the second, Langkow tipped in a slap shot by defenseman Dion Phaneuf from the left point. He knotted the contest at 12:46 of the third, taking a cross-ice pass from Alex Tanguay and burying a shot into an open net.

"Mentally, we weren't in it early in the first, and it cost us," Langkow said. "I thought we did a good job to tie it late, but unfortunately, we let it get away at the end."

Briere's heroics spoiled Keenan's return to the bench. Keenan was making his debut with the Flames against the team with which he began his coaching career.

"I thought the effort was a little bit inconsistent," Keenan said. "We had some flurries where we had a lot of momentum and intensity, but I didn't like the way that we started the game."

Keenan, who led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994, has struggled since, going 189-219 in stops at Boston, Vancouver, St. Louis and Florida. Calgary is the eighth different team guided by Keenan, tying him with Roger Neilson for the most in NHL history.

The meeting was the first between Calgary and Philadelphia since the Flyers came away with a 1-0 triumph on December 6, 2005.

Martin Biron, acquired late last season by the Flyers, finished with 24 saves - including some key stops late in the third.

Getting the win and having two new additions play prominent roles is a good sign, according to Gagne.

"It's fun to have a different atmosphere in the room than last year," he said. "I like the team we have. Management did a great job over the summer."