NHL
Scores/Schedules
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Weekly lineup
Video Highlights

  Thursday, Jan. 27 7:30pm ET
Flyers stop 5-game winless skid
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Eric Lindros and Keith Primeau showed Thursday night why the Philadelphia Flyers' new "Twin Towers" could be big trouble.

Eric Lindros, Mike Vernon
Philadelphia's Eric Lindros, right, beats Florida goalie Mike Vernon for his 18th goal.

Primeau marked his return to the ice with a fight, and Lindros made a stirring comeback from a concussion with a goal, some crushing hits and a fight of his own as the Flyers beat the Florida Panthers 4-2.

"The fans saw a game that was toe-to-toe, one of the best games of the year," Flyers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck said.

No one expected Lindros to fight in his first game back after his third concussion in 22 months, but he emerged with nothing more than a scratch on his forehead.

"I wasn't into fighting," said Lindros, who scored his 18th goal. "I wasn't going to initiate anything or get involved early. But you do what you've got to do to get by. That's fine. You just tie up arms and wait for your chance."

Primeau, playing his first game for Philadelphia and his first in nine months after a contract dispute with Carolina, set the physical tone early with a fight against Todd Simpson in the second period. He also dominated on faceoffs.

With Lindros at 6-foot-4 and Primeau at 6-5, the Flyers have unprecedented size at center on their top two lines.

"I don't think this hockey club can play any different," Primeau said. "We're a big, strong, physical team."

Pavel Bure scored his NHL-leading 35th goal for the Panthers, beating Vanbiesbrouck on a breakaway to make it 1-0 in the first period. The Flyers ended an 0-3-2 slide, including 0-2-2 with Lindros out.

Lindros scored his first goal since Jan. 2 with 8:38 left in the first. He slammed in a loose puck in the crease on a pass in front from longtime linemate John LeClair. It gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead.

"I think it's great that Eric came out banging, and everyone else followed," said Mark Recchi, who scored his 19th goal.

Lindros then slammed Florida's Robert Svehla into the boards near the Panthers' bench with two minutes left and the Flyers leading 3-1. Lindros pummeled Simpson in a fight as a teammate headed off Paul Laus, who tried to double-team the Flyers captain.

This came several minutes after an all-out melee resulted from Sandy McCarthy and Peter Worrell going after each other several times.

"Philly has some big guys," Worrell said. "They get away with some stuff that maybe they shouldn't, and we kind of got fed up with it."

But it was the Flyers who were angry about two noncalls that resulted in injuries for two of their players. Defenseman Adam Burt left in the first period with a concussion after he was blasted in the head by Simpson. Burt retaliated with an elbow, but that was the only penalty called.

The Flyers said Friday that Burt's concussion will keep him out of the lineup for an indefinite period of time.

Later, Jody Hull went down with a left knee injury on a play that the Flyers thought should have drawn a penalty. On Friday the team learned that Hull will miss 2-4 weeks with a sprained ligament.

"I think everyone saw what happened out there," Lindros said.

Primeau, acquired from Carolina for Rod Brind'Amour on Sunday, skated out to loud cheers 40 seconds into the game. They quickly turned to boos when a Flyers rush led by Primeau resulted in Bure's breakaway goal.

"He's just going to get better," Lindros said of his new teammate. "He had a lot of emotion tonight. His hands are going to come with time. He hasn't played in eight, nine months."

Primeau and Simpson dropped their gloves quickly after some contact near the Florida bench early in the second. The sellout crowd of 19,781 roared with approval.

"I sat on the bench at times and wondered if it was all worthwhile," said Primeau, winded and wobbly legged after the game. "As the game went on, I felt better."

McCarthy and Worrell engaged in a lengthy bout in the second, then targeted each other with a series of hits in the third that led to an all-out melee with 5:09 left. Florida's Lance Pitlick got a double-minor, and Philadelphia's Dan McGillis got two minutes.

"We've got to show that we can play a physical game as well, and that we're not going to sit around and let people run us," Simpson said.

Panthers coach Terry Murray, infamous for saying the Flyers' loss to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals in 1997 was a "choking situation," was impressed with his former team's emotion.

"Lindros is rested and full of energy, and you've got Primeau with lots of adrenaline and emotion," Murray said. "It carries over to the whole team." 		 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Florida Clubhouse

Philadelphia Clubhouse

Lindros returns for Primeau's Philly debut

Primeau tries to get up to speed at first Flyers practice

NHL East: Clarke knows both sides

Morganti: Masked men are marked men


RECAPS
Phoenix 4
Carolina 2

Montreal 0
Boston 0

Toronto 4
NY Rangers 3

Philadelphia 4
Florida 2

Pittsburgh 4
Atlanta 1

Los Angeles 6
Nashville 2

Chicago 6
Colorado 4

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Eric Lindros does not back down from Todd Simpson.
avi: 680 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Ray Whitney scorches the net for the Panthers.
avi: 700 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Eric Lindros beats Mike Vernon for the goal.
avi: 600 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Primeau shakes off some rust on Todd Simpson's head.
avi: 750 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1