Lightning Ends Barber`s Charge

The Tampa Bay Lightning ended Bill Barber`s run at history.

Martin St. Louis and Fredrik Modin each had two goals as the Lightning beat Philadelphia 4-3 Thursday night and snapped the Flyers` eight-game unbeaten streak under Barber.

The Flyers were 5-0-3 since Barber replaced Craig Ramsay on Dec. 10. The streak was the second-longest unbeaten run by a new NHL coach, trailing a 10-game run (9-0-1) by Ottawa coach David Gill during the 1926-27 season.

"It`s always sad to see good things end, but I`d sooner end on a note the way we played than going the other way where we didn`t compete," Barber said. "I almost got wrapped up in being a fan. It was that good of a hockey game -- up and down action and aggressive hockey."

The Flyers, who were without Keith Primeau (shoulder) and Rick Tocchet (hand), outshot Tampa Bay 35-18. Primeau and Tocchet were injured in Wednesday`s 5-2 win at Florida.

"We competed very hard, especially being short-handed like this," Philadelphia`s Mark Recchi said. "Our guys really sucked it up. It`s unfortunate we couldn`t pull out a win." St. Louis scored at 7:36 and 12:31 of the first period as the Lightning charged to a 3-1 lead.

"Once we got the lead, we didn`t sit back," St. Louis said. "We went after them. It`s a great feeling for us. We just have to remember what it takes to win games like this."

Recchi snapped a 12-game scoring drought at 11:49. He lifted the puck off his own stick and then scored on a waist-high swat.

Modin`s first goal gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead at 16:54. Tampa Bay`s Kevin Weekes stopped 11 of 12 first-period shots.

Weekes has allowed just three first-period goals on 96 shots in his last eight games. "The main thing is, we came out with the victory at the end," said Weekes, who preserved the win with four strong saves in the third period. "I just have to play within the flow of what is happening."

Philadelphia`s Brian Boucher gave up three goals on six shots in the first period.

The Flyers` Todd Fedoruk scored at 4:35 of the second period, and Modin countered at 17:38. Philadelphia`s Ruslan Fedotenko made it 4-3 with 13:46 left in the third period.

The Flyers, 0-for-6 on the power play, have failed to score on 34 man-advantage opportunities in their last nine road games.

Philadelphia`s Daymond Langkow had his six-game, 13-point scoring streak stopped. Tampa Bay`s Vincent Lecavalier, who has not scored in nine games, had two assists. "It was a lot fun," Lecavalier said. "The crowd (20,142) was going nuts. There were a lot of nice defensive plays and fighting. There was everything."

Game notes:
Flyers LW John LeClair (back spasms), who missed his ninth straight game, has resumed skating in Philadelphia. ... Tampa Bay D Pavel Kubina tore a tendon in his left index finger and is questionable for games this weekend. ... Flyers LW Kevin Stevens, who had an assist, played after being scratched the previous five games. ... Tampa Bay LW Kyle Freadrich sustained an eye contusion in a fight with Luke Richardson and left the game in the second period. Richardson later departed with a lower back injury.

(Copyright 2000 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

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Author: AP