Downie was taken out of the lineup following a bad pass in the neutral zone that led to a Penguins goal in Game 3. The Flyers were eliminated five days later.

That could make for a long off-season.

"Actually, I haven't thought about [the turnovers] at all," Downie said yesterday. "You don't want to keep negativity in your head."

Downie, who played 32 regular-season games and six in the playoffs, is the most experienced of the 36 players at this week's prospect camp at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, Camden County, which began yesterday.

He showed tepid promise with 12 points in the regular season while usually playing on the fourth line. Then came the two turnovers against the Penguins in Games 2 and 3, both in the third period, with both resulting in key goals.

After the first miscue, Flyers coach John Stevens wanted to test the young player's poise by reinserting him into the lineup. It didn't pay off then, but Downie said it served as one final lesson in his rookie year.

"It's good that Coach has confidence in you," Downie said. "At the same time, you have to deliver. You have to show that you can accept that. I made a couple of mistakes there, but again, it's all a learning experience and it's behind me now."

Downie, the Flyers' 2005 first-round pick, said he's focusing exclusively on his skating during this summer. He is working on losing weight to go along with a lot of power skating drills.

Making the team out of camp in the fall isn't a given. Right wing is all of a sudden a crowded position, with Mike Knuble, Joffrey Lupul, rookie Claude Giroux and free-agent acquisition Arron Asham all in the mix, along with Downie.

"Nothing's guaranteed," Downie said. "That makes everyone work that much harder. There will be a lot of competition in camp."

Loose pucks. A Flyers official said a formal announcement will be made today on Lupul's contract extension. Lupul, 24, is expected to sign a four-year deal. . . . Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren watched the beginning of the camp's opening session, but didn't stay long, instead deferring to director of player development Don Luce. . . . The camp resumes today with drills at 9:30 a.m. and a scrimmage at 10:45. The players did not scrimmage yesterday.

or mgelb@phillynews.com.