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Lightning keep high-scoring Flyers in check

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:04 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Jussi Jokinen and Vaclav Prospal scored goals in the second period to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Philadelphia center Daniel Briere returned to the lineup after missing the previous six games following surgery to repair two torn abdominal muscles. He scored in the first period to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.

The Flyers entered the game leading the NHL with 3.67 goals per contest, but they were unable to solve Lightning goaltender Mike Smith.

Smith made 35 saves, including 13 in the final session.

"It's a huge win for our team," Smith said. "I think after that first period, we didn't feel too good about it. We came into the locker room and (coach Barry Melrose) and Toch (assistant coach Rick Tocchet) gave it to us. We got a big 40 minutes out of our guys, and it was impressive."

The win also was much-needed. Tampa Bay improved to 1-1-1 on its current five-game road trip, with visits to Washington and Florida remaining.

"When we play hard, we're an excellent team. We came out in the second and third, and we're hitting and we're hunting loose pucks," Melrose said. "It's an entirely different game, but you've got to do it 60 minutes. You can't do it after you get help from the coach or when you feel like it. You have to do it every night, on the road or at home. When we play with passion and courage and drive, we're an excellent group."

Briere opened the scoring late in the first period with the Flyers on a two-man advantage.

Captain Mike Richards took a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that was stopped by Smith. Simon Gagne got the rebound and sent a cross-ice pass to Briere, who knocked the puck under Smith's arm from alone on the left side of the crease.

"I felt good. I wouldn't consider it my best game, but I felt good," Briere said. "Overall, I felt it was an OK game for me."

Jokinen tied the game just under eight minutes into the second period.

Two-time former Flyer Mark Recchi skated along the left wing boards and centered a pass in the slot to a streaking Jokinen, who wristed a shot over the shoulder of goaltender Martin Biron at 7:58 for his fifth goal of the season.

Prospal, another player who had two tours of duty with Philadelphia, snapped the deadlock less than six minutes later, taking a pass from captain Vincent Lecavalier and beating Biron with a wrist shot with 6:25 to go in the middle session.

"Their goalie made some key saves and kept them in the game," Briere said. "In the second, we made two stupid mistakes, and both were in the net. It was about the only things we gave them all night."

Philadelphia registered 18 shots in the first period but managed only five in the second as Tampa Bay took control and posted its fourth win in six games.

"I think we competed at a high level," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "It's odd when we're scoring goals in bunches and couldn't keep them out of our net, and now we are keeping them out of our net and we are not scoring. To me, it has to start from not giving up as much on our net.

"That's where this thing is going to turn around. I think we did that tonight, and that's a step in the right direction."