IS STOCKPILING DEFENSEMEN
For the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery on Dec. 9, Ray Emery was back on the ice with a few teammates for a light skate at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees.
Emery alternated shots with Brian Boucher from Riley Cote, Mika Pyorala and Danny Syvret.
Boucher backed up Michael Leighton in Sunday’s win in Long Island but said that he wasn’t ready to play in a game yet. A point blank shot from Florida’s Michael Frolik last Monday cut open his right ring finger, requiring stitches. Boucher said that when he took shots, the cut – which is on his blocker (stick holding) hand – the vibrations from his stick reverberated through his hand.
Boucher could be ready to play on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers.
Leighton, meanwhile, has won his first three starts in a Flyers uniform since 2006-07 with an impressive .932 save percentage.
The Flyers will have a log jam at goalie when both Boucher and Emery are healthy. Leighton would likely be loaned to Adirondack, where he could cut into the playing time of Johan Backlund.
Emery exited practice after just 45 minutes of shooting, while Boucher remained on the ice with Sunday’s two healthy scratches (Pyorala and Cote) and call-up Syvret.
Emery’s original timetable was six weeks from the surgery, which would put his return date sometime around Jan. 20. He could be ahead of schedule. We will update after practice.
Briere vs. Biron
After he roasted former teammate and close friend Marty Biron with a wicked top shelf wrister on Sunday, which gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead, Danny Briere said he doesn’t think he has an advantage playing against Biron.
The two played together for six consecutive years in Buffalo and Philadelphia.
"I think it goes both ways,” Briere said. “He knows where I like to shoot he knopws what I like to do. But I also know a little bit about him. I guess it depends on the situation and whoever can think the quickest."
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