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PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- In a sea of orange, Keith Primeau navigated the Philadelphia Flyers to a crucial victory.

Primeau scored a shorthanded goal and helped set up an even-strength tally as the Flyers evened their Eastern Conference finals series against the Tampa Bay Lightning at two games apiece with a 3-2 victory.

After losing for the first time in seven home games in Game Three, the Flyers were met by a rousing crowd that donned Orange Crush T-shirts, turning the Wachovia Center into a wave of orange.

Fredrik Modin helped silence the crowd with a power-play goal at 12:43 of the first period before Primeau - the Flyers captain - made the big play just over four minutes later that swung the momentum.

Primeau made a beautiful drop pass to John LeClair , who rocketed a shot past goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin , tying the contest at 1-1.

"I cut through the middle, it (puck) went off my shin pad, went right off my stick and I heard Johnny hollering from the bench," Primeau said. "He's the right guy to give it to because he's going to bury it."

Less than two minutes later, Mark Recchi gave the Flyers the lead for good with his fourth goal of the postseason with 1:40 to go in the opening period.

Primeau provided some insurance at 11:50 of the second period with his seventh goal of the postseason and second of the series. It also was Primeau's third game-winning goal of the postseason.

"There are certain stages in your season and certain stages in a critical playoff series where captains have to step up, and he stepped up again," Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It's not surprising."

Robert Esche made 28 saves for the Flyers, who were able to rebound for the second time in the series. After losing Game One, Philadelphia responded with a 6-2 victory.

Vincent Lecavalier scored a power-play goal with 32 seconds remaining in the third for Tampa Bay, which lost for the first time in six road games in the postseason.

"We wanted to win game three and we did," Lightning defenseman Darryl Sydor said. "We weren't coming here to get a split. We're not happy, we wanted to get both."

Tampa Bay hosts Game Five on Tuesday.

"Philadelphia is a very good hockey team and they found a way tonight," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "We found a way the other night. Now it's 2-2 and we have a heck of a series going."

With defenseman Vladimir Malakhov in the penalty box for cross checking, Primeau gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead with 8:10 left in the second period. On a 2-on-1 with Simon Gagne , Primeau skated into the right circle and blistered a wrist shot over Khabibulin's glove.

"I was going to give it to him," Primeau said. "He's the goal scorer."

"I thought that he was going to pass it," Khabibulin said. "I guess I bought his little fake."

Primeau continued his role as the Flyers' best player in the postseason. He has been a constant physical presence and has 11 points in 15 games.

"Primes has been a guy that we've been looking to and following," LeClair said. "He's really taken charge of a lot of games, and again today he did the same thing."

Despite missing defenseman Marcus Ragnarsson , who is sidelined for the rest of the playoffs with a fractured index finger, the Flyers managed to play well with the lead.

Philadelphia also lost center Jeremy Roenick and defenseman Joni Pitkanen , who was replacing Ragnarsson, to "upper body injuries" during the contest.

With Gagne serving a double-minor for high sticking, Modin provided the game's first goal when he put a rebound past Esche.

LeClair tied it with his second goal of the postseason off Primeau's pass with 3:05 left in the period before Recchi gave the Flyers the lead for good.

Defenseman Mattias Timander unleashed a shot from the hight slot that appeared to deflect off both Modin and Recchi before trickling past Khabibulin.

Khabibulin made 23 saves as he allowed at least three goals for just the third time this postseason.