Flyers Notes

Hatcher, who has not played since breaking his right leg March 15 in Boston, skated yesterday and said the leg felt strong.

"I'm healthy. I'm ready," Hatcher said. "I haven't talked to anybody. I'm not calling the shots. My conditioning is not going to be 100 percent, but it's fine. I hope to play."

Hatcher had fluid drained from the right knee Friday night. He had worn a cast for a month, and the buildup resulted from a lack of exercise. General manager Paul Holmgren said Hatcher was ornery after Friday's loss because he thought the fluid buildup was another setback.

Yesterday, Hatcher was all smiles.

"It's almost amazing," he said. "I'm actually smiling coming off the ice. I hadn't been smiling. We lost the game. I'm not playing. It was no fun going on the ice when it feels like you are battling and battling and nothing is getting better."

While Hatcher said he intended to play, coach John Stevens was leaning toward resting him one more game. Told that Hatcher was insistent and that the 6-foot-1 Stevens might not be big enough to stop the determined defenseman, Stevens said, "I'll take my chances."

Stevens isn't certain Hatcher is ready to log a lot of minutes. If Hatcher does play, Stevens said he would not break up the Braydon Coburn-Kimmo Timonen defensive pairing. Coburn had been Hatcher's regular partner.

Holmgren said he would welcome Hatcher's veteran presence tonight.

Hitting Huet

Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said after Game 2 that he thought the Flyers were more physically intimidating than his players. Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell bowled over Capitals goalie Cristobal Huet, who seemed to get easily riled with contact.

"I'm always around the net," Briere said. "Sometimes, I get pushed over. I try not to get on to him and take penalties on the goalie. Me and Scott Hartnell, that is where we are at, especially on the power play. I know he came out of his crease. I tried to miss him and kind of hit him with my stick.

"It was accidental. A lot of guys played a very physical game. We won a lot of battles along the boards. . . . They got more and more frustrated as game went on. I'm sure they talked about it."

Loose pucks

Anne Marie Biron gave birth yesterday to a baby girl, who was unnamed. She was 6 pounds, 10 ounces and 20 inches long - about the size of husband Marty's catching mitt. . . . All remaining first-round games will be telecast on HD. . . . Patrick Thoresen (groin injury) may skate today but is not ready to return to the lineup.