Flyers Notes: Confidence guiding van Riemsdyk's physical play

BUFFALO - James van Riemsdyk's dominating play has been a surprising development in the first three games of the Flyers' Eastern Conference quarterfinals against Buffalo.

The second-year winger has a goal, a plus-3 rating, and a team-high 14 shots for the Flyers, who have a two-games-to-one lead heading into Game 4 Wednesday night in Buffalo.

Van Riemsdyk, 21, whose physicality has intensified, credits last year's playoff run for preparing him for this spring's tournament.

"I think the experience gives you confidence in knowing how you have to play to have success," he said after Tuesday's practice at HSBC Arena. "I think going through that experience, the ups and downs, helps you with the confidence level this year."

Van Riemsdyk has been on a line with Claude Giroux and Jeff Carter.

"There's some good chemistry out there, and we seem to be getting some good chances," he said.

The Sabres view Wednesday as a "must" win.

"They're going to come out with that extra desperation, knowing it's two to one, and we're going to have to be ready to match that," van Riemsdyk said.

"It's probably the biggest game of the series right now," goalie Brian Boucher said. "They've got a good team over there. They've got good speed, they've got strong goaltending, and we don't expect it to be easy by any stretch."

Defenseman Chris Pronger practiced with the team again and took some wrist shots for the second straight day, but he is not expected to play Wednesday. Pronger still has not taken any slapshots, a sign that his surgically repaired right hand isn't quite ready for game conditions.

If the Flyers lose Wednesday, Pronger may play in Game 5 on Friday.

Buffalo's youngest-in-the-league defense has been exposed in the last two games.

"I thought our defense struggled" in Game 3, Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "We turned the puck over too many times."

Buffalo had a 37-26 edge in shots and a 26-14 advantage in hits in Game 3 but lost, 4-2.

"I know we outshot them, but we didn't out-chance them in the quality-chances department," Ruff said. "Because we were so aggressive, we gave up some pretty big opportunities. But all of the mistakes we made were because we were on our toes. We need to make some subtle adjustments - getting our defensemen to think a little bit more on the defensive side, getting our forwards sometimes to be just a little more responsible where they can help our 'D' out."

Ruff said he "doesn't even look" at the hits and instead focuses on giveaways and takeaways.

"The difference [between the teams] is this much right now," he said, a few inches apart. "Like I told the team today, we're right where we were four months ago."

He meant the Sabres were in desperation mode.

Center Mike Richards had a maintenance day - just like he had before the loss in Game 1 - and did not practice, but the Flyers said he would be in Wednesday's lineup. Winger Andreas Nodl (facial injury) also missed practice. Nik Zherdev, who had the game-winning goal Monday, is again expected to replace him in the lineup. . . . In Game 3, the Flyers blocked 17 shots - eight more than Buffalo. . . . The Sabres' Patrick Kaleta, sidelined with an unspecified first-period injury Monday, is expected to play Wednesday. . . . Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller said his friend and ex-teammate, Danny Briere, tries to get under his skin on the ice. "But it's all fluff coming from him after the amount of years we've known each other," Miller said.