Flyers Notes: Lecavalier bounces back after demotion

Vinny Lecavalier scored the 400th and 401st goals of his career Sunday, but the bigger news is the way he has become rejuvenated since he was demoted to the fourth line on Friday.

In those two games, he has a total of three goals and 12 shots while winning 63.2 percent (12 of 19) of his faceoffs.

Lecavalier's rebirth has everything to do with the fact that he was moved from left wing back to his natural position: center.

"It felt great. It's just more of a moving game," Lecavalier said after helping the Flyers salvage a point with a hard-fought 4-3 shootout loss to powerful Boston on Sunday. "Obviously I've played there my whole career. It just feels more natural."

The fourth line - Lecavalier centering Adam Hall and Zac Rinaldo - played admirably in its second game together. Lecavalier gives the Flyers an edge in fourth-line matchups.

"I think it went really good," Lecavalier said. "We had great opportunities, great O-zone time, a lot of shots, and a lot of rebounds. We play very well together, a good support game."

"For whatever reason, they've got chemistry," Flyers coach Craig Berube said.

Nearly 51/2 minutes into the game, Lecavalier took a pass from Hall and beat Tuukka Rask (49 saves) with a blast from above the left circle. The shot, one of nine fired by Lecavalier, nicked off the bottom of Rask's glove.

Lecavalier became the 90th player in NHL history to reach the 400-goal plateau.

"It's great honor, but I have to move on now," Lecavalier said after the 10th game with nine or more shots in his 15-year career. "It felt great. I never thought when I was 18 years old and I got in the league that I would get there."

Lecavalier, who is still used on the power play, sent Sunday's game into overtime by converting Jake Voracek's goalmouth pass during a wild sequence with 24.1 seconds to go.

Despite the demotion, Lecavalier is considered vital to the Flyers' success.

"He is a key piece," Berube said. "I never thought he wasn't."

The Flyers had 52 shots - their most in a loss since they had 53 in a 7-4 defeat to Toronto in 1988. . . . The teams combined for 87 hits, the most in a Flyers game this season. Boston had 44, the Flyers 43. . . . The Flyers had killed 36 of their last 37 penalties before Zdeno Chara's power-play goal in the second period.

Flyers center Vinny Lecavalier became the 90th player in NHL history - and the eighth who is active - to reach the 400-goal plateau. Here are the eight active players:

Jaromir Jagr, New Jersey 704

Teemu Selanne, Anaheim 684

Jarome Iginla, Boston 560

Marian Hossa, Chicago 461

Daniel Alfredsson, Detroit 443

Patrick Marleau, San Jose 435

Alex Ovechkin, Washington 419

Vinny Lecavalier, Flyers 401

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