Jagr Has All Angles Covered in Win

The Pittsburgh Penguins kept hearing how they couldn’t win in Philadelphia. Apparently, the Flyers listened more than they did.

Jaromir Jagr did what he does best, scoring on a shot that seemingly no other player can make, and the Penguins won, 2-0, Thursday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. It was the Penguins’ first victory in Philadelphia in nearly six years.

Pittsburgh has never beaten Philadelphia in a playoff series and once went nearly 15 years without winning there. Game 2 is Saturday in Philadelphia.

“We told ourselves, ‘Let’s not give ourselves negative thoughts by thinking we can’t win here,’ ” goaltender Ron Tugnutt said. “If we won here, we wouldn’t have to hear anymore we can’t win here.”

The Penguins had gone so long without winning in Philadelphia--16 games, including three in the 1997 playoffs--that Mario Lemieux was three years from retiring the last time they did it on Feb. 13, 1994.

“Of course, it means a lot that we won in Philadelphia,” Jagr said. “Still, it’s only 1-0. They can easily win four in a row, and they’re going to come out hard in Game 2.”

Jagr gave the Penguins a lead they never lost with another bad-angle goal in the first period and the rejuvenated Tugnutt made 28 saves.

Martin Straka also scored for the seventh-seeded Penguins, who managed only 14 shots while being outshot for the 15th consecutive game. However, just as they did in their first-round upset of second-seeded Washington, the Penguins made their shots count.

“Sometimes, the playoffs are a whole new game,” Penguin defenseman Bob Boughner said. “Anybody can beat anybody, and we were a desperate team tonight.”

The Penguins had been 15-74-7 all-time in Philadelphia, where they once went 42 games--0-39-3--without winning. They were 0-4-1 against the Flyers this season, giving up 20 goals in five games.

Tugnutt, cast off by Ottawa six weeks ago because he supposedly couldn’t win in the playoffs, previously was 1-7-2 against Philadelphia. The Flyers once so befuddled Tugnutt, he suggested former Senator backup Damian Rhodes start in his place against them.

Jagr’s goal at 14:33 of the first period was his fourth in six playoff games this season and his third from a bad angle from around the right circle.

Jan Hrdina, back after missing the final two games of the Washington series because of a strained back muscle, won a faceoff that went directly to Jagr. Jagr apparently surprised Flyer rookie goalie Brian Boucher by shooting quickly rather than setting up a play, and Jagr’s wrist shot deflected off defenseman Chris Therien’s skate into the net near the far post.

Philadelphia did not allow more than two goals for the 11th time in 12 games.

“It’s only one game,” the Flyers’ John LeClair said. “We weren’t going to win four straight. That’s a pretty good team over there.”