Bellemare close to returning; Neuvirth starting for Flyers

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the Flyers' fourth-line center and a key member of their penalty kill, took part in the morning skate Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center and may be able to return to the lineup later this week.

"It all depends on how many full practices I get. I hadn't practiced on the ice for 10 days, and then I got a 30-minute skate yesterday," Bellemare said after Tuesday's morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. "Today was the first game-like practice, but it was a pregame skate; no contact, nothing. I need to get some of those. As we know, there's so many games during the week that there's so little full practice. Things are going to come around once I can (hit)."

Bellemare, 30, will miss his seventh straight game Tuesday, when the Flyers host Colorado. Early in the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss to Buffalo on Oct. 27, Bellemare fell behind the Sabres' net after being crosschecked by Rasmus Ristolainen, and he appeared to be favoring his right leg or foot.

"He doesn't garner a lot of attention, but he's an important player to us," coach Dave Hakstol said. "He brings reliable play in so many different areas. And he brings energy. In his own way, he's a good leader in that way."

A native of France, Bellemare expects to be cleared for full contact later Tuesday. He said doesn't feel limited in anything he can do on the ice.

"This was the first team practice I had, with starting and stopping, and I felt unbelievable," he said. "I'm excited."
Bellemare said it was difficult watching the Flyers struggle through a 1-3-1 road trip.

"When you see it doesn't go that well, you just want to be there and be a part of it and try to do something to help - and you can't do it. You're miles away and you can only just watch….It's not easy, for sure," he said.

The penalty kill has struggled this season, but it was 7 for 7 in the last two games of the trip.

"The season goes like a rollercoaster, and that trip was maybe a part of that rollercoaster time," Bellemare said.

"Now it feels like the guys are back on the move to go up, so it's exciting."

Bellemare has played in eight games, and he has one goal and a minus-1 rating.

"He kills off a lot of penalties, blocks a lot of shots," center Sean Couturier said. "He's a guy who will do whatever he can to help the team."

Neuvirth starting. To no one's surprise, the sizzling Michal Neuvirth will make his fourth straight start Tuesday. Neuvirth is tied for the league lead in save percentage (.945) and fourth in goals-against average (1.81).
"Michal earned this start," Hakstol said. "He's done a great job for his teammates _ in particular, his last two starts in Calgary and Winnipeg."

Breakaways. Vinny Lecavalier will replace the injured R.J. Umberger on the third line…Hakstol on the goal-less Jake Voracek: "For the most part, I've been happy with his play. I think there's only been , through the stretch, maybe a couple of games where Jake had a bit of frustration to his game….He continues to put a lot of pucks on net. One's got to go in for him, and (when it does), I think you'll see a drastic change in the outcome of a lot of these plays."…Colorado (4-9-1), which is 2-4 on the road, has been led by Nathan MacKinnon (six goals, 15 points) and Jarome Iginla (six goals, 11 points)…Brayden Schenn has five goals to lead the Flyers, who do not have any players in double-digits in points. Claude Giroux has a team-high nine points.