Flyers Team Report

INSIDE SHOTS

The Flyers are quickly realizing that any kind of extended losing streak could wreak havoc on their standing in the Eastern Conference. For the second time this season the Flyers are in the throes of a three-game losing streak as they head back east for a Wednesday night visit to Long Island.

Consecutive losses to the Sharks, Coyotes and Avalanche marked the second time this season the Flyers have been dealt three straight losses. This time it dropped them into a four-way tie for the final two playoff spots in the East.

And while no one in Philadelphia is ready to push the panic button, there are real concerns about how the team will handle its next 14 games without forwards Simon Gagne(notes) (hernia), Blair Betts(notes) (shoulder) and Darroll Powe(notes) (wrist).

Much of the scoring load will be placed on Mike Richards(notes), Jeff Carter(notes), Danny Briere(notes), Scott Hartnell(notes) and Claude Giroux(notes), while call-ups David Laliberte(notes), Andreas Nodl(notes) and Jared Ross try to fill their roles as secondary scorers and solid defensive forwards.

The Flyers will also rely on something they have not received in recent games—solid goaltending from Ray Emery(notes). The 27-year-old netminder has given up 12 goals in his last three starts and was pulled from a 5-4 defeat in Colorado on Monday night.

That could lead to Brian Boucher(notes) getting the call on Long Island when the Flyers face John Tavares(notes) for the first time.

Avalanche 5, Flyers 4:   After being scolded by general manager Paul Holmgren for their lackadaisical play in back-to-back losses, the Flyers came out flat against the Avalanche, falling behind 5-2 before mounting a furious third-period comeback that fell short.

“We played with all kinds of desperation at the end,” Flyers coach John Stevens said. “But if we played with that kind of desperation in the beginning of the hockey game we would have made a game of it. It’s not good enough.”

Danny Briere had a hand in all four Philadelphia goals, scoring two and assisting on both of Jeff Carter’s goals. But it was a giveaway by Carter that gave the Avs a three-goal lead after goaltender Ray Emery had already been lifted for Brian Boucher.

NOTES, QUOTES

• RW Danny Briere was suspended for two games Tuesday for his late hit the night before on Colorado’s Scott Hannan(notes). The hit came after Hannan had just scored a goal.

• The Flyers’ special-teams prowess abandoned them on their road trip. The penalty kill rebounded Monday night by killing all six penalties, but before that had fallen from 10th to 18th after allowing five goals in three games. The power play had gone three straight games without a goal, falling from first in the NHL to third before Carter netted one in the final period.

• With a makeshift lineup, coach John Stevens moved C Jeff Carter onto a line with LW Scott Hartnell and RW Claude Giroux, C Mike Richards onto a line with LW James van Riemsdyk(notes) and RW Danny Briere, and C Mike Pyorala onto a line with LW Dan Carcillo and RW Ian Laperriere(notes). But with the Flyers desperate to get things going in the third period, Stevens put Richards with Carter and Briere.

Quote To Note:   “I wasn’t pleased at all with the effort. It’s a tough league. I don’t think you can look at any team and say, ‘There’s an automatic two points.’ I can guarantee one thing. If you don’t put forth effort, you won’t win against anyone. I wasn’t happy with the game (Saturday in Phoenix). We have to dig in a little harder and work for things. I don’t think the last few games we have.”—GM Paul Holmgren after the Flyers’ losing streak reached two. It became three Monday.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltenders:   Ray Emery, Brian Boucher

Defensemen:   Matt Carle(notes), Chris Pronger(notes), Braydon Coburn(notes), Kimmo Timonen(notes), Ryan Parent(notes), Oskars Bartulis(notes)

First Line:   LW James van Riemsdyk, C Mike Richards, RW Danny Briere

Second Line:   LW Scott Hartnell, C Jeff Carter, RW Claude Giroux

Third Line:   LW Dan Carcillo, C Mika Pyorala(notes), RW Ian Laperriere

Fourth Line:   LW Andreas Nodl, C Jared Ross, RW David Laliberte

Player Notes:  

• RW Claude Giroux picked up his first fighting major of his career when he went toe-to-toe with Marek Svatos(notes). Giroux handled himself well in the fight, connecting on several uppercuts.

• C Jeff Carter, despite scoring two goals, finished minus-2 and lost 10 of 18 faceoffs.

• G Ray Emery allowed four goals on only 17 shots and was taken out of the game late in the second period.

• LW Scott Hartnell’s goaltender-interference penalty late in the game took away any chance of a late Flyers comeback and angered coach John Stevens.

Medical Watch:  

• RW Arron Asham(notes) (strained left oblique muscle, 7-10 days); LW Simon Gagne (hernia, 4-6 weeks); C Blair Betts (dislocated right shoulder, 4-6 weeks); LW Darroll Powe (hand/wrist, 4-6 weeks).