Flu leaves Flyers shorthanded at practice

The Flyers have been hit by the flu. Hard.

Yesterday's practice was shortened because the Flyers are shorthanded. Five players - Matt Carle, Arron Asham, Dan Carcillo, Danny Briere, and Ryan Parent - were absent because of the flu. Assistant coach Joe Mullen also missed practice with the flu.

A few other players, including Jeff Carter and Ian Laperriere, skated but were still feeling the effects from getting over the illness.

The Flyers will play the Sabres in Buffalo tomorrow and then face St. Louis on Saturday at home.

Besides the flu, Parent (groin) and Briere (quad) have been out with injuries and don't figure to play tomorrow, coach John Stevens said.

The team is also missing Simon Gagne, who will be out six to eight weeks after abdominal and hernia surgery.

Today is the Flyers' third straight off-day. The days off, Stevens hopes, will help his ill players.

"If we were playing games now, we'd be concerned, but we have a few days to hopefully recover and get the guys feeling better by the weekend," he said. "It seems every team goes through it at some point during the year, and it's obviously more of a concern this year with a couple of different strains of the flu going on."

Some of the Flyers have gotten the optional flu shots; the swine flu shots have not been offered to them yet. Winger Riley Cote said some players got sick despite having flu shots.

Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin has taken extra steps to try to prevent a flu outbreak, talking to the players about frequently washing their hands, getting extra rest, and eating sensibly, Stevens said, adding that Chris Pronger was walking around with a surgical mask yesterday to avoid germs.

Stevens said he hoped Carle, Asham, and Carcillo could play tomorrow. If not, the Flyers could get reinforcements from the Phantoms. General manager Paul Holmgren scouted their 4-2 AHL win over Bridgeport yesterday, but didn't feel he would need to recall anybody.

If he did and the reinforcements were as productive as rookie David Laliberte, the Flyers would be ecstatic. Laliberte became the fifth player in team history to score goals in his first two games. No Flyer has scored in his first three games.

"It's up to us to step up," said Laliberte, who has been playing on a line with Carter and rookie sensation James van Riemsdyk. "It's a good opportunity to be in the lineup. I'm just trying to work hard."

Breakaways. Cote, who has been a healthy scratch in nine of the 12 games, could play tomorrow. "If someone can't go, I'm ready to rock," he said.. . .. As he has done throughout the World Series, Flyers broadcaster Chris Therien wore his Yankee garb to practice yesterday. "We shouldn't let him sit in the locker room; we should make him sit outside," Stevens said. . .. Ray Emery will start in goal tomorrow against Buffalo.