Flyers Shutout Hurricanes

Primeau scored two goals and Roman Cechmanek recorded his sixth shutout as the Flyers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 on Monday.

The Flyers have never trailed in their last five home games and have outscored the opposition 19-3 in that span.

"That`s the most encoraging part of our success right now," Primeau said after the Flyers won their six straight home game. "In the past maybe we would give up one or two goals and let a team fight their way back into a hockey game."

Mark Recchi, who also had an assist, and Todd Fedoruk scored the other goals for the Flyers, who have won five straight overall and 10 of their last 13.

"Right now we`ve got a foot on their jugular and we`re going to continue to go forward," added Primeau. "We`re scoring big goals and Cechmanek is making the saves when he has to. We are really forcing them into a position where they never get the lead. From that point on we look comfortable and we never look back."

The loss kept the Hurricanes one point behind Boston in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Cechmanek, the Czech Republic`s outstanding goaltender the past six years -- but a backup to Dominik Hasek on the gold medal-winning Olympic team -- had 21 saves. Playing in his first NHL season, Cechmanek has won five straight starts and 10 of his last 11 decisions.

"It was a very easy game," said Cechmanek. "I think tonight there wasn`t that many shots."

Recchi put the Flyers ahead 1-0 3:45 into the game on a power play. He tapped in his 19th goal after goaltender Arturs Irbe allowed the initial shot by Dan McGillis to dribble off his pads.

Fedoruk made it 2-0 later in the period, converting a pass from P.J. Stock after Irbe was caught out of position chasing Stock behind the net.

Irbe, who stopped 10 of Philadelphia`s 12 shots in the first period, was replaced in goal by Tyler Moss at the start of the second period.

"I didn`t particularly care for the first two goals," said Carolina coach Paul Maurice. "With Irbe nursing an injury, I didn`t want to risk him getting hurt with some big games coming up."

Irbe had started 43 of the Hurricanes` previous 44 games before missing last Friday`s 1-0 loss to Phoenix with a groin injury. He returned in a 5-4 win over Boston on Sunday.

"Tonight was a bad game," said Rod Brind`Amour, who was traded to Carolina last year in the Primeau deal. "Nobody played well."

Primeau scored on an unusual play in the second period. The center appeared to be feathering a pass to Recchi from the side when the puck bounced off both Carolina defenseman Marek Malik and Moss into the net.

Primeau added his 25th goal on a power play 43 seconds into the third period, hammering in a rebound of a shot by Eric Desjardins.

The Flyers had an apparent goal disallowed in the second period when officials ruled a shot by Daymond Langkow never crossed the goal line.

Philadelphia rookie Justin Williams, who replaced Gagne on the top line, left after fracturing his left hand in the second period.

Notes: Simon Gagne, who leads the Flyers with 26 goals, was scratched because of a lower back sprain. ... Recchi has 10 goals in his last 10 games for the Flyers. ... Carolina, which went into the game leading the NHL in penalty killing (87.5 percent) stopped four of six Philadelphia power plays. ... The Flyers won the season series 3-1. ... Philadelphia has lost only one of its last 11 home games (9-1-1).

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)