NHL PLAYOFFS : Penguins Retaliate With 4-1 Victory

PITTSBURGH — When the Boston Bruins got rough, the Pittsburgh Penguins got smart.

The Bruins tried to get physical, but it backfired when Mario Lemieux had a goal and an assist Tuesday night as the Penguins evened the Wales Conference final series at two games apiece with a 4-1 victory.

Game 5 will be Thursday night in Boston Garden, where the Penguins have won only six times in 24 years and are 0-3-1 this season.

“We were patient and smart,” Lemieux said. “We knew they were going to try to get us off our game. . . . We knew that from the lineup they put out there.”

The Penguins ignored Boston Coach Mike Milbury’s threat to get tough and took advantage of several inopportune penalties.

Milbury, incensed by Ulf Samuelsson’s hip check that knocked Bruin star Cam Neely out of Game 3, dressed tough guy Lyndon Byers and implored his team to be more physical.

The strategy proved ineffective as Pittsburgh wouldn’t be lured into taking retaliation penalties.

“This team’s ready to take a stick in the ribs to win the series,” Pittsburgh’s Phil Bourque said. “Nilan drew a couple of stupid penalties. We weren’t looking for revenge, we came to win the game. We’re trying to stay disciplined and stay focused and not let them goad us into bad penalties.”

Neely, with 15 playoff goals, was distracted by Samuelsson and did not take a shot until the third period.

Boston’s resident enforcer, Chris Nilan, ended the Bruins’ chances by drawing an unnecessary slashing penalty with 2:59 remaining and his team trailing, 3-1.

Kevin Stevens’ 11th playoff goal, Pittsburgh’s first in its past 11 power-play chances, followed.

Lemieux set up Bob Errey’s goal midway through the first period, and scored to make it 3-1 midway through the third period.

Joey Mullen’s goal in the second period gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead, but Boston got close at 8:38 of the third period on a goal by Dave Christian.