Thu Mar 6 21:57:02 2008

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Carter lifts Flyers past Lightning

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Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Jeff Carter posted two goals, including the game-winner late in the third period, as Philadelphia edged Tampa Bay, 3-2, at the Wachovia Center.

Carter extended his point streak to four games (five goals, two assists), and scratched the scoresheet for the sixth time in the last seven games (6G, 3A). Daniel Briere also tallied in his return to the Philadelphia lineup after missing one game with a sprained right shoulder.

Martin Biron turned aside 18 shots, as the Flyers snapped a two-game skid and beat the Lightning in Philadelphia for the first time January 18, 2003 -- breaking a string of eight consecutive loses.

With 76 points, the Orange and Black occupy the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Jussi Jokinen and Michel Ouellet scored for the Lightning, who have gone 1-7-1 in their last nine games to fall further out of playoff contention in the East. Mike Smith stopped 22-of-25 shots in the loss.

With the game tied at 2-all, Carter posted his second goal of the night with just 1:54 remaining in the third, as he ripped a shot from the high slot that found its way through traffic and over the left shoulder of Smith.

Tampa Bay, which had registered just two shots in the third period, then yanked its netminder in favor of the extra attacker. It didn't produce the desired result, however, as the Lightning never got another shot at Biron.

The Lightning struck just 31 seconds into the contest, as Jokinen deposited the puck into a nearly empty net from off the right side. The scoring chance came as Dan Boyle gave chase to the puck, and from the endboards sent it back in front. Martin St. Louis then took the initial shot, but it was blocked and ricocheted right to Jokinen.

The Flyers tied it with 5:09 left in the stanza, as R.J. Umberger picked off an errant Tampa pass at the blue line and raced the other way in a 2-on-1 with Briere. Briere then moved in behind the defenseman, and ripped Umberger's feed high over the glove of Smith to make it 1-1.

Carter then made it 2-1, and posted his career-best 24th goal of the season, when he roofed a backhand shot up and over Smith with 3:09 remaining.

Tampa re-tied it at 8:18 of the second, as Ouellet deposited a give-and-go from Jokinen past Biron on the near side.

Game Notes

Carter has seven career two-goal games...When the Flyers score three goals or more they are 32-9-6. They are also 27-4-2 when opponents have two or fewer goals...Briere is the team's second-leading scorer with 58 points in 67 games...Philadelphia's Mike Richards is expected to miss at least another week with a torn left hamstring...The Lightning are 13-3-0 against the Flyers since the beginning of 2003-04, including a 2-2-0 mark this season...Flyers forward Vinny Prospal faced the Lightning for the first time since they traded him to Philadelphia on Feb. 25.