New Coach Leads Flyers to Victory

Team Turmoil is at it again.

The Philadelphia Flyers, who got within one victory of reaching the Stanley Cup finals last season amid numerous distractions, fired coach Craig Ramsay just hours before a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday night.

Keith Primeau scored twice to make Bill Barber`s debut a success. Barber, who starred for the club during its glory days of the 1970s, was elevated to the head job from assistant coach.

"It was one of those decisions that we have no control over," said Kevin Stevens, who had a goal and two assists. "We just have to go out and play, and we were able to do that."

Ramsay took over late last season, when coach Roger Neilson left for cancer treatment. He led the Flyers to a 16-8-1 record and a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals that was squandered.

He achieved success while the Eric Lindros drama played out.

Lindros, the oft-injured captain, was stripped of his title when he criticized the team`s medical staff. He returned to play in the final two playoff games, and left with yet another concussion.

"The situation with our hockey team tonight, was that everyone needed to focus on what they have to do as a player and for our captains to not get loaded down with what has happened here," Barber said. "I think we played the best we could play."

The Flyers started this season 12-12-4, but did not play to the level general manager Bob Clarke wanted.

"We really didn`t play well so far this year as a team," forward Rick Tocchet said. "There`s the old cliche, one guy gets fired for 22 guys."

Eric Desjardins, who took over the captaincy from Lindros, ended a 21-game goal drought with the go-ahead score in the middle period.

The Flyers snapped a 1-1 tie with two goals within 24 seconds early in the second.

Primeau won the faceoff on a power play and passed the puck back to Dan McGillis at the blue line. McGillis returned it to Primeau, who scored from in front.

Desjardins made it 3-1 at 2:27. The defenseman last scored Oct. 19 against Montreal.

The players expressed surprise at the firing, but said they took the coaching change as a message for them.

"We wanted to put in a strong performance not only for Billy but for ourselves," Primeau said. "The guys have to take it a little personally. He (Ramsay) wasn`t in it alone. We were there with him."

Barber becomes the fifth Flyers coach in six years since Clarke, his former linemate, returned to Philadelphia as general manager.

"He`s bled black and orange," Tocchet said. "Although it was pretty uncomfortable to get it this way, but it`s the man`s dream."

Barber was in his first season as Ramsay`s assistant, after four years as coach of the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers` AHL affiliate.

"This is a dream come true," said Barber, who led the Phantoms to the AHL championship in 1997-98. "You don`t ever lose your dream. You don`t give that up. I tell that to the players. If you don`t have dreams, you don`t have anything to live for."

Clarke may have chosen Barber to revive some of the old "Broad Street Bullies" teams. Clarke and Barber played on Philadelphia`s only Stanley Cup championship teams, in 1974 and `75.

"Billy is a fiery guy who will put the emotion and direction back into the team," Clarke said.

Clarke wants the Flyers, the least penalized team in the league, to play more aggressively and emotionally.

"We`ve become an easy team to play against. And we don`t find that acceptable," Clarke said.

Through two periods against New York, the Flyers notched only one penalty _ a high-sticking call against Andy Delmore just six seconds in.

Philadelphia finally showed some muscle and earned several penalties in a physical third period.

Barber played his entire 12-year career with the Flyers, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. He is Philadelphia`s leading goal scorer with 420.

Ramsay finished 39-27-5 with the Flyers.

Brad Isbister and Jeff Toms scored for the Islanders.

Notes:
The Flyers were without John LeClair, who missed the game due to back spasms. LeClair has played only six games since returning from a 20-game hiatus while recovering from back surgery. ... Islanders goalie John Vanbiesbrouck played his former team for the first time since he was traded on June 24. He made 35 saves.

Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Author: AP