You always hear war references referring to losing battles but winning the war.

Feel free to use that when talking about Flyers pugilist Jody Shelley.

Shelley dropped the gloves with Phoenix defenseman Nolan Yonkman during the Flyers 3-2 overtime loss to the Coyotes and it was a heck of a fight.

Shelley landed more punches and as such gets credit for the win, but Yonkman did get one in and it split the bridge of Shelley's nose wide open.

As a result, Shelley needed more than 60 stitches to close the cut. He's going to have a real pretty face after this one.

Something tells me with a wound that big, Shelley might have to miss the tilt with the Islanders Thursday. If Blair Betts isn't ready to go, the Flyers may have no choice but to re-insert the enigma that is Nik Zherdev into the lineup.

Zherdev did skate with the team during warmups Tuesday - a rare sight from the Russian winger who, when he's not playing is hardly ever around, and is usually the first guy out of the arena after a game, win or lose, and isn't often seen mingling with teammates.

General manager Paul Holmgren had a lengthy conversation with Zherdev's agent Jay Grossman in the bowels of Madison Square Garden Sunday and it was Holmgren doing all the talking.

Maybe the message got through and Zherdev's participation in the warmup was a sign that he is making an effort - or at least a veiled effort - at being a better teammate.

Still, I don't think Peter Laviolette buys it for one minute. Zherdev is the one square peg in the Flyers locker room and I'm not convinced that he's wanted there when the chips are down in the postseason.

..................................

This came out of the blue:

Sean O'Donnell, he of the knee sprain and the 10-14 day timetable for a return, skated Tuesday for 40 minutes, felt great and could be back Thursday.

What's that line Joe Conklin used to use when doing his impersonation of Bob Clarke? "Hello, Liars."

Seriously...

"He got good news in his MRI," Paul Holmgren said. "It's not a ligament problem that we're dealing with."


One other item of note...

Of the 22 games remaining this season for the Flyers, 15 of them are against teams who entered play Tuesday not in a playoff position.

Nine of those 15 are in the next 10 games.

Here are next 10 opponents: Islanders, Senators, Maple Leafs, Sabres, Rangers, Oilers, Leafs again, Thrashers, Panthers, Thrashers again.

With 84 points, the Flyers are 34 points behind the Franchise record for points in a season (118 in 1975-76). Is it really inconceivable to think they couldn't match that with the schedule they have left?

After those next 10 games it gets a little dicey as they have five out of six against Dallas, Washington, Boston and Pittsburgh twice, but the season ends with two against the Islanders, another game with Atlanta, the Devils, Rangers again, Sens again and Sabres again.

A 17-5 record isn't too far-fetched.

Just saying...