Flyers Crush Lightning

2004 Playoffs

"It's a step in the right direction," Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock said. "They're such a good team that you have to maintain a really high level. If you do that, you have a chance to beat them."

"It was pretty ugly," Tampa Bay defenseman Dan Boyle said. "We can throw that tape away because we don't want to see that one again."

Tampa Bay goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who had four shutouts and 1.00 goals against average before the game, was replaced in the second period after letting in four goals.

"Habby's not going to stop them all," Boyle said. "We got stunned early, and we never recuperated."

Game 3 is Thursday night in Philadelphia.

"We now have a chance to control our destiny," Hitchcock said. "If we can win our home games, we've got a chance."

"We won eight in a row and tonight we lost," Martin St. Louis said. "It's a series now, and it's 1-1. We're not beat up mentally. ... It's just one game."