Flyers Notes: Flyers say they are ready for season to begin

The Flyers' six-day training camp ended Friday, and they will see if they are ready for the rigors of a lockout-shortened 48-game season.

"It really doesn't feel like a camp. It feels like we had a week of practice to get ready, but we touched on a lot of things this week," said new captain Claude Giroux, whose team will play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Saturday's 3 p.m. opener. "I can't wait to see how the guys are going to react in a game."

Giroux said he didn't mind a camp without any exhibition games.

"We don't need to waste any time. Just go right into the rush right away," he said after Friday's practice in Voorhees.

"Sometimes camps are too long, so we're happy," forward Max Talbot said. "We feel like we've been waiting for so long" to play a game.

The Flyers will be playing their first game since they were eliminated by the Devils in the playoffs last May 8.

"I think we're ready. I think everyone put in a lot of hours this week - the coaching staff, the video guy, especially us players upstairs [working out] and on the ice," said Scott Hartnell, one of the Flyers' alternate captains. "With today's tempo, I think we looked pretty good."

Hartnell said the Flyers "showed a lot of professionalism" by coming to practices early each day for extra workouts in the weight room or on the exercise bike.

"I think that mentality and enthusiasm about playing is going to carry on, especially early," he said. "It's going to get us over this early hump."

The Flyers will play seven games in the season's first 11 days.

Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, coming off an up-and-down season, will begin his second year with the Flyers on Saturday.

Hartnell notices a difference in the goalie this year.

"I think he feels more comfortable, especially in the dressing room," Hartnell said. "On the ice, it looks like he's practicing a lot harder, working on things that he struggled with last year - his puck control and things like that. Just sitting beside him, he's got a little bit of a different attitude this year. Coming to a new team, maybe you get out of your comfort zone a little bit and try to make friends or whatever, instead of just sitting back and doing what you usually do.

"I think he's done more of that this year, which is good for him, and hopefully he'll settle into a nice routine."

Center Scott Laughton, 18, will make his NHL debut Saturday. . . . Center Danny Briere (left wrist) will miss at least the first two games and start the season on the injured-reserve list. Winger Tom Sestito will begin the year on the 23-man roster, but is expected to be a healthy scratch. Defenseman Bruno Gervais and winger Jody Shelley are also expected to be healthy scratches in the opener.