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  Sunday, Mar. 26 1:00pm ET
Flyers leave Jagr, Penguins hurting
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Herb Brooks didn't want to talk about Pittsburgh's loss or the hit that took out Jaromir Jagr. However, the Penguins coach clearly was not happy about either.

"Philly is Philly," Brooks said after the Flyers beat the Penguins 3-1 on Sunday. "I don't even want to get into the rest of the analogies or anything else for you wonderful Philly people."

Jaromir Jagr
The Flyers' Dan McGillis (3) put Jaromir Jagr out of the game with a check in the back.

Keith Primeau scored a power-play goal late in the second period and John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 27 shots as Philadelphia moved within two points of the Eastern Conference-leading New Jersey Devils. New Jersey also leads Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division.

Pittsburgh is in seventh place in the conference with 78 points.

Jagr, the NHL's leading scorer, left the game with a bruised upper back after getting checked from behind by Dan McGillis just 4:59 in. The Pittsburgh star was playing his fourth game since returning from thigh and hamstring injuries that cost him 12 games.

"If we had our full lineup, it could have been different," rookie goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin said.

There was no immediate word on Jagr's status, but teammate Matthew Barnaby said Jagr just has a sore back.

"I don't think that was a cheap shot," McGillis said. "The only reason he fell was because a guy was behind him. I fell too. When you have a chance to bump Jagr, you bump him."

Barnaby, who was ejected along with teammate Bob Boughner and Philadelphia's Chris Therien after a first-period brawl, said, "Jaromir is the big gun in the league and they're going to go after him. We understand that. That's the way they play and they're known for that."

Even without Jagr, Pittsburgh had a chance against the Flyers. Philadelphia played its seventh straight game without injured captain Eric Lindros, out for at least six weeks with a concussion.

The Penguins took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Rob Brown 6:41 into the second. But Philadelphia tied it when Craig Berube skated by Jan Hrdina and slipped a shot past Aubin for his second goal with 8:36 left in the period.

Primeau scored the game-winner on a power-play with 1:18 left in the second. The score came 28 seconds after a goal by John LeClair was waved off because the puck bounced in off LeClair's leg.

"The shot came from the point and they were fishing for the puck instead of taking bodies," said Primeau, who relentlessly whacked away at the puck, getting three shots off, before scoring. "It was important we capitalize because there's a mental change when a team thinks they got away with one."

Aubin made 37 saves, including 21 in the second period as Philadelphia registered a season-high 23 shots in the frame.

Mark Recchi sealed the victory with an empty-netter, ending a 14-game goal-scoring drought.

"When we play well as a team and get goals from other guys, it's easier for me. It takes the pressure off," Recchi said.

Defenseman Luke Richardson made a sliding kick save on a rebound shot by Robert Lang midway through the first as Vanbiesbrouck was out of position after stopping a shot by Martin Straka.

The teams played a 72-minute first period that featured no goals, an eight-minute delay to replace shattered glass along the boards and a brawl that involved all 12 players on the ice.

Vanbiesbrouck, who was watching the fight near the Flyers bench, quickly skated over to pull Aubin off a teammate after the Penguins goalie joined the fracas. The goalies did not drop their gloves.

"He was mumbling something in French," Vanbiesbrouck said. "I didn't understand. I just told him to get back in his crease."
 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Pittsburgh Clubhouse

Philadelphia Clubhouse


Lindros' father says no legal action planned against Flyers


RECAPS
St. Louis 1
Chicago 1

Colorado 2
Dallas 1

Detroit 8
NY Rangers 2

Philadelphia 3
Pittsburgh 1

Carolina 4
NY Islanders 1

Montreal 3
Tampa Bay 1

Los Angeles 4
Atlanta 1

Anaheim 4
Phoenix 3

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Keith Primeau scores the goal off of the rebound.
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