Flyers shuffle three of their four lines

The Flyers have their own version of the French Connection line.

In an effort to jump-start the offense - especially Simon Gagne and Scott Hartnell - coach John Stevens has changed three of the Flyers' four lines for tonight's game against Florida at the Wachovia Center.

The French Connection line has Claude Giroux centering Gagne and Ian Laperriere. The three French Canadians will be together for the first time this season.

Though he is plus-3, Gagne has not scored in the first seven games, his longest beginning-of-the-season drought in his 10-year career.

"I think [Gagne] has to get to the holes and win more puck races," Stevens said yesterday after practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. "Maybe a good change of scenery will be good for him, too. . . . I want to see Giroux and [Gagne] together."

That change of scenery will place him with the playmaking Giroux and the physical Laperriere.

"They all bring something different," Stevens said.

Gagne and Mike Richards each had a game-high five shots on goal in the Flyers' 4-3 shoot-out win over Boston on Thursday. In that game, Gagne was with Richards and Arron Asham.

"I'd be concerned if I wasn't getting chances," Gagne said. "I'm getting chances."

Hartnell, who has just one goal and is also trying to get untracked, will play tonight on a line with Richards and Asham.

Rookie left winger James van Riemsdyk, off to an impressive start with five assists in his five games, will join Jeff Carter and Danny Briere on another line.

"I'm just trying to get more energy and more sustained pressure on the lines," Stevens said.

Playing with different linemates "forces you to focus more," he said.

The fourth line, which excelled in Thursday's win, remains intact - Mika Pyorala centering Dan Carcillo and Darroll Powe.

Ray Emery, who has a 2.79 goals-against average and .900 save percentage, will start his seventh straight game tonight. Tomorrow, Brian Boucher will make his first NHL start this season, opposing his former team, San Jose.

"It's good and bad," Stevens said of a player facing ex-teammates. "Sometimes you get too revved up. He didn't leave on ill terms, so he probably has a lot of friends there and is happy to face them."

Boucher said he obviously wants to defeat his former team but that there was no extra motivation in facing the Sharks.

"I've got so many old teams, it doesn't really matter," he said, smiling.

Boucher, slowed by a groin injury in training camp and at the start of the season, has played for six NHL teams (and two from the AHL) in the last five years.

"I'm just happy to get a game in," said Boucher, who looked sharp in a recent tune-up for the AHL Adirondack Phantoms.

Breakaways. Blair Betts' dislocated right shoulder will keep him sidelined this weekend. Don't be surprised if Betts and defenseman Ryan Parent (groin) aren't able to return until next Saturday against Carolina. Parent has started to skate on his own; Betts still hasn't been able to take face-offs or contact. . . . Since the shoot-outs began in 2005, the NHL teams that shoot first have won 321 games, while the second shooters have 323 victories. . . . The Flyers, who allowed Boston just two power-play opportunities Thursday, will try to avenge a 4-2 loss in Florida on Oct. 16. About 1,500 tickets remain for tonight. . . . The Flyers have scored first in six of their seven games. . . . The third defensive pairing of Danny Syvret and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen combined for three assists and played more than 26 minutes in Thursday's win.