Two flu-stricken Flyers returned to the ice for Thursday's practice in Voorhees, but the team will still be shorthanded for Friday's game in Buffalo against the surprising Sabres.
    Five players missed practice Wednesday because of the flu. Of that group, Dan Carillo and Arron Asham returned Thursday, while defenseman Matt Carle remained in bed with the flu.
    Danny Briere and Ryan Parent, each of whom were ill Wednesday, also missed yesterday’s practice, but coach John Stevens said it was because of their injuries and that they had recovered from the flu.
    Parent (groin) and Briere (quad) will not play Friday. Stevens said he expects Carle _ who is off to an outstanding start _ to be in Friday's lineup.
   If Carle is able to play, the Flyers will not have to use a defensive callup to play against the Sabres.
   Danny Syvret, who has been practicing despite flu-like symptoms, and Ole Kristian-Tollefsen are slated to be the third defensive pairing.

   Ray Emery will start in goal against Buffalo; Stevens said he's not sure about Saturday's starter against visiting St. Louis, meaning Brian Boucher could make just his second appearance.

    With Simon Gagne sidelined for six to eight weeks, would the Flyers be interested in bringing past-his-prime forward Peter Forsberg back to Philly?

    Well, general manager Paul Holmgren is keeping his options open, but he downplayed a report that the Flyers have dispatched scout Ilkka Sinisalo to the Karjala Cup specifically to check out the 36-year-old Forsberg. The tourney starts Thursday in Finland.
  “Ilkka will be at the tournament anyway, and to say he’s scouting Peter is a stretch,” Holmgren said Tuesday night.  “But he’ll probably see him play.”
    Holmgren said that “if Peter is healthy and interested in returning to the NHL, who wouldn’t have interest? But that’s putting the cart before the horse. We don’t know if he’s healthy. We’ll see how it plays out and then cross that bridge.”
    In other words, like every other GM, Holmgren has to keep his options open, but I'd be very surprised if Foppa returned.

    * * * * * * * 

    Gagne had successful hernia and abdominal surgery Tuesday, Holmgren said. Before the operation, one of the ultrasounds appeared to show that Gagne had two small hernias near his belly buton, but when surgery was performed, it was discovered he only had one hernia, the GM reported.

    The left winger is expected to miss at least 20 more games.

    * * * * * * * * *

    Read my story in Wednesday's Inquirer about emerging left winger James van Riemsdyk, who could become the first rookie-of-the-year in the Flyers' history.

    You may be surprised that Bobby Clarke didn't win the Calder Trophy as the top rookie. Chicago goalie Tony Esposito was the rookie-of-the-year in Clarke's first season, 1969-70.

    * * * * * * * 

    The Flyers, who lead the league in goals per game (3.67) and power-play success (28.1 percent), play at Buffalo Friday.

   Flyers left winger Simon Gagne will have hernia and abdominal surgery Tuesday and will miss six to eight weeks, general manger Paul Holmgren said.

   Holmgren said the Flyers have no plans to recall any other players from the AHL Phantoms.

   Gagne will miss at least the next 20 games.
    Gagne tried to play through discomfort and managed just one goal in nine games before one ultrasound showed he was suffering from two small hernias.

    William Meyers will perform the surgery, described as minimally invasive by Holmgren, at Hahnemann University Hospital.
     After the 2006-07 season, Gagne has had similar hernia and abdominal surgery performed by a different doctor.
   “He had repairs in both of those areas before, so the doctor wants to go through those same incisions – they’re just small incisions – and reinforce and strengthen the area,” Holmgren said.
Gagne has seen three doctors, one of whom didn’t think the hernias were present on the ultrasound.
    “After meeting with three doctors and a different opinion on a lot of things, we went right to the bottom (of it) to make sure we were making the right decision for myself, for the team and for the future, to go and do the surgery,” Gagne said. 
     Gagne said that after the surgery, he will “get on a program to make sure those types of injuries don’t happen to me anymore.”
    Asked why the injury had been recurring, Holmgren said, “I guess you could say it seems that way, but that’s the way it is in all sports…..Do they break down over time? I don’t know. There are other players in other sports where it hasn’t happened. We’re going to get in and fix it.”
     Gagne, who scored 34 goals last season, was disappointed to learn he could miss two months.
    “There’s never good timing in the season to have surgery, but it’s still early in the season,” Gagne said. “I’ll miss close to two months and I’ll have time to get back in shape and get my game back and feeling 100 percent when I’m skating. That’s something I wasn’t able to do right now.”
     Gagne said he would be “ready to have a strong end of the season and be 100 percent ready for the playoffs ”
    The discomfort, he added, was “something that’s been kind of bothering me for a long time, not only this year, but from last season. I think we made the right decision to go ahead and fix everything.”
     Holmgren has no plans to add another player from the AHL Adirondack Phantoms. He said the Flyers would “lean on the guys we’ve got now. I think that some of our young players have come up – like James (van Riemsdyk) _ and have played really well. I think David Laliberte came up and played a good game. We’ll see how it goes for a little while.”
    Danny Briere (quad), who missed his second straight game last night, hopes to return to practice tomorrow(DESK: Wed.) and may play Friday in Buffalo.
“It’ll be nice to have Danny back. I don’t think that’s a long-term thing right now,” Holmgren said. “And the other guys just have to pick it up.”
     Ratings rise. Even though most viewers have been turning their attention to the Phillies, the Flyers are off to a strong start on Comcast SportsNet, delivering a 25 percent ratings increase over the same time last season.
In their first eight games televised by Comcast, the Flyers scored a 2.5 rating (74,300 households), up from a 2.0 rating (59,400 households) for the first eight games in 2008.
 

  It would have been great theatre if Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet decided to start goalie Antero Niittymaki against his former Flyers teammates Monday.

   But Tocchet is being a spoilsport.

    After Sunday's practice, he told Tampa reporters that Mike Smith would start.

  Maybe he thinks Nitty would put too much pressure on himself if he faced the host Flyers in a game moved to 5 p.m. to accomodate the World Series.

   The Flyers should be thrilled with Tocchet's decision. Smith has struggled mightily, while his backup, Niittymaki, has excelled.

    Smith has a 3.17 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage. Niittymaki, who made 37 saves and was brilliant in a 2-1 shoot-out loss to New Jersey Saturday, has a 2.22 GAA and a .931 save percentage.

   Ray Emery (2.46, .915) will make his 11th start in 12 games for the Flyers.

   * * * * * * 

    After missing seven games because of a dislocated right shoulder, Blair Betts made an impressive return in Saturday's 6-1 conquest of Carolina. The veteran center was dominant in the faceoff circle _ he won 13 of 18 draws _ and the penalty kill.
   Teaming with Ian Laperriere, Betts helped the Flyers kill all five Carolina power plays.
     “You want to have guys on third and fourth line that can be really good role players,” coach John Stevens said after Sunday's practice in Voorhees, “and Betts and Lappy willed themselves in front of shots and blocked shots _ and it really revs up guys on your team when you see guys paying the price like they do.”
    With Betts in the lineup, the Flyers are 4-0 and have killed 23 of 25 penalties (92 percent).

    Without him, they are 2-4-1 and have killed 22 of 27 penalties (81.5 percent ).
* * * * * * * * * *

   The Flyers finally received some positive medical news.

    Danny Briere, who didn’t play Saturday because of an injured a muscle underneath his quad, is making progress and may return Friday against his former team, Buffalo.
      The Flyers had originally announced it was a groin injury, but they now say it is below his quad _ and not related to the groin problems that forced him to miss most of last season.
     Meanwhile, a decision on how to treat Simon Gagne’s two hernias was delayed for the third straight day. Gagne has had conflicting advice from two doctors on whether surgery should be performed _ and he is now seeking advice from a third doctor. He will be examined by Dr. William Meyers Monday.

    “And then we can put this to an end,” general manager Paul Holmgren said.
     * * * * * * *

      Defenseman Ryan Parent, who had missed three games with a groin strain, returned to action and re-aggravated the injury in the second period Saturday. He will be sidelined for a week, Holmgren said. That means he won’t play   Monday against Tampa Bay or Friday in Buffalo. 

    Ole-Kristian Tollefsen figures to take his spot.
    Parent had been paired with Kimmo Timonen on Saturday.

   The Flyers received an unexpected boost from rookie right winger David Laliberte and defenseman Braydon Coburn Saturday as they trounced Carolina, 6-1, in a fight-filled game at the Wachovia Center.

      Laliberte, making his NHL debut and subbing for the injured Danny Briere, scored a goal and collected an assist, while Coburn had a career-high two goals. Scott Hartnell and Matt Carle each had a goal and two assists, and rookie James van Riemsdyk added a goal and an assist.

     Carle and van Riemsdyk are making strong bids to earn spots on the U.S. Olympic team.

     "Both are under consideration," said Brian Burke, the Team USA general manager.

      Three Flyers were inolved in fights _ Ian Laperriere (loss), Arron Asham (win) and Dan Carcillo (draw) _ and Jeff Carter raced to van Riemsdyk's side after he was was driven into the boards by former Flyer Andrew Alberts.

      Coburn, who had been mired in a deep slump that caused him to be moved to the third defensive pairing Saturday, liked the way the team was united in the mismatch.

     "I think that’s the Flyers," he said. "We’ve got guys that aren’t going to back down to anybody. We’ve got a tight-knight group in here. I think we had guys tonight that are tough guys and that stand up for guys. We’ve got Ash [Asham] and Carcillo and Lappy [Laperriere] and having [David] Laliberte come in fresh off a call-up and really contributing....And the kid, van Riemsdyk, he played phenomenal. He played like a veteran out there."

   Ray Emery made 39 saves for the Flyers, who play host to Tampa Bay Monday at 5 p.m.

   Blair Betts won 13 of 18 faceoffs (72 percent) in his first game back since he suffered a dislocated right shoulder. The Flyers, who won 64 percent of the facoffs Saturday,  are 4-0 with Betts in the lineup and 2-4-1 without him.

    Chants of "Let's Go Phillies!" and "Yankees Suck!" filled the Wachovia Center at different points of Saturday afternoon's game.

   Notes. Chris Pronger had five blocks and three takeaways....Jeff Carter has not scored a goal in seven straight games....The Flyers said they needed another day before deciding the route Simon Gagne will take to repair his two hernias.

     Danny Briere left practice early Friday because of what Flyers coach John Stevens called "a lower-body injury."

    Since Briere missed most of last season with groin and abdominal injuries, alarms are going off in Flyerdom right now.

    The Flyers recalled David Laliberte from the AHL Adirondack Phantoms.

   Simon Gagne is already sidelined with a double-hernia, and Briere is doubtful for for Saturday against Carolina.

   GM Paul Holmgren reported that two of Gagne's doctors have given conflicting solutions to repairing his hernias. The Flyers, Gagne and the doctors are trying to resolve those issues.

   On a positive front, it looks like Blair Betts (shoulder) and Ryan Parent (groin) will return from injuries and be back in the lineup Saturday.

    The Flyers tried to push defenseman Randy Jones through re-entry waivers, but one of his former coaches wouldn’t let it happen.
    Jones was claimed Thursday by the Los Angeles Kings, whose head coach, Terry Murray, was a Flyers assistant in charge of the defense when Jones was part of the team
    The Kings and Flyers will share half of Jones' $2.75 million salary-cap hit _ $1.375 million apiece,

   "He certainly would have helped us," general manager Paul Holmgren said. "That's the risk you take, and what are you going to do?"

   Holmgren said he had talked to a few teams to gauge their interest in Jones. The Kings were obviously not one of them.

   When Simon Gagne returns from the long-term injured list down the road, his cap hit ($5.25 million) will be absorbed again and the Flyers will probably have only about $700,000 in cap space _ unless they send one of their extra players to the AHL Phantoms. 

* * * * * * * * 

   Defenseman Ryan Parent, sidelined by a groin injury the last four games, is expected to return to action Saturday against Carolina and could be paired with Kimmo Timonen.
   Timonen (minus-10) and Braydon Coburn (minus-9) have struggled as a duo, causing coach John Stevens to place Timonen and Parent together at Thursday's practice.
 

   Say goodbye to Simon Gagne for a while.

   And maybe, just maybe, say hello again to Randy Jones.

   Gagne was placed on the injured-reserve list and will miss at least 10 games and 24 days with two hernias.

   Jones was placed on re-entry waivers, and if no one claims him by noon Thursday, he will rejoin the Flyers. He had been sent to the AHL Adirondack Phantoms in a cap move last month.

    As for Gagne, the Flyers’ orthopedic surgeon, Peter DeLuca,  says the left winger needs surgery. Gagne, however, will get a second opinion from his doctor in Montreal Thursday.

    "Once he sees what’s concluded, we’ll move forward,” GM Paul Holmgren said.

     In the last four years, Gagne has had three surgeries in the groin/hip area.
    “I don’t think it is going to hurt to make sure that we get a second opinion and make sure we all see the same thing in Montreal that we do here in Philly,” Gagne said. “We just want to do this to make sure it isn’t something else.”
Gagne will be examined Thursday by Dr. Rey  Brown, who has performed groin surgery on the winger in the past.
      Asked about Gagne’s recovery time if the surgery is performed, Holmgren said, “I don’t know and neither does the doctor until he actually gets in there.”
     Holmgren reiterated that he has no interest in signing free-agent left winger Brendan Shanahan and that, for now, no one will be recalled from the Phantoms.
    Center Blair Betts is expected to return from a shoulder injury Saturday. That would give the Flyers a forward who, in effect, would replace Gagne.
     Jones makes $3 million a year. Teams can claim him for half his $2.75 million cap hit.
    If no one claims him, his cap hit will be absorbed by the Flyers.
    Gagne’s $5.25 million salary doesn’t count against the cap while he’s on the long-term injured list, opening room for Jones’ salary.
   If Jones rejoins the team, a spot held by Danny Syvret or Ole-Kristian Tollefsen will be in jeopardy.
    _ Sam Carchidi

  The Flyers fired a season-high 43 shots Tuesday night, were 2 for 5 on the power play and got mostly solid goaltending from Ray Emery.

   Normally, that translates into a win.

   Tonight, it turned into a 4-2 loss to the host Washington Capitals.

   The Flyers blew a 2-0 lead, failed on a penalty shot (Darroll Powe) and could not convert numerous opportunities against the usually shaky Jose Theodore, Washington's goalie.

   "For whatever reason, we're not finding the net," coach John Stevens said.

    With the score tied at 2-2, Alexander Semin's shot from the left circle deflected off Kimmo Timonen's knee and into the upper left corner of the net with 14:36 left in regulation.

     Alex Ovechkin added an empty-net goal to close the scoring.

     The Flyers failed to score in even-strength situations. They have been outscored 18-17 in five-on-fives this year.

    "That's my biggest concern," Timonen said. "You can't count on your power play" to score all the goals.

     The Flyers were supposed to have Wednesday off, but Stevens has now scheduled a practice.

   * * * * * * * 

       With Simon Gagne sidelined with two hernias and with the Flyers' offense struggling, GM Paul Holmgren may look to make a deal.

     Holmgren said Tuesday he is not interested in free-agent winger Brendan Shanahan.

     If the offense continues to scuffle, however, that could change.