Boucher Saves Day for Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers need Brian Boucher to keep playing the way he is.

Keith Primeau scored the game-winning goal, and Boucher made 29 saves as the Flyers defeated the Dallas Stars, 2-1, at Philadelphia on Thursday night.

“You need great goaltending today it seems,” Coach Bill Barber said. “It’s the only chance you have of winning and Boucher sure provided that for us.”

It was the Flyers’ second consecutive home victory and the first time they won back-to-back home games all season.

“The last few games we played very well at home,” Boucher said. “It’s something for us to build on. It was a good win for us because Dallas has a lot of good players, so you have to be on top of your game against them.”

Boucher, who entered the game leading the NHL with a 1.63 goals against average and a .938 save percentage, made his best save on Jamie Langenbrunner. The puck was well on its way into an empty net but Boucher got his stick on the puck at the last possible moment and knocked it wide.

Primeau scored on a rebound of a Chris Therien shot at 11:36 of the second to break a tie, when he backhanded a shot underneath goalie Ed Belfour’s left pad.

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Boston 5, Montreal 0--Byron Dafoe made 23 saves and recorded his 24th career shutout as the Bruins stopped a three-game losing streak and defeated the Canadiens at Boston.

Brian Rolston, Andy Hilbert and Rob Zamuner scored in a 52-second span during the first 6:17.

It was Hilbert’s first NHL game and Zamuner scored his second goal of the game late in the second period.

New Jersey 3, Edmonton 3--Mike Comrie stole the puck deep in the Devils’ end and scored unassisted with 1:36 to play to give the Oilers a tie at East Rutherford, N.J.

Josh Green and Ethan Moreau also scored for the Oilers, who rallied twice in the third period from one-goal deficits.

Randy McKay, who had not scored in 20 games, scored two goals for New Jersey, and Bobby Holik scored the other goal as the Devils outshot the Oilers, 33-15.

Nashville 6, Vancouver 2--Kimmo Timonen and Cliff Ronning each scored a power-play goal and had three assists to lead the Predators at Nashville.

The four points by Timonen and Ronning tied a franchise record. The victory extended the Predators’ home unbeaten streak to 10 games.

Greg Classen, Denis Arkhipov, Scott Hartnell and Bubba Berenzweig also scored for the Predators.