Maybe these observations mean nothing. Maybe I'm taking things a bit too far - and if I am, please tell me - but, it seemed yesterday like Chris Pronger is feeling better than he has in nearly two months.

Consider:

During his rehabilitation from hand surgery, Pronger was surly at times, refused to speak publicly at others, was frustrated on the ice, and almost always had his right hand hidden so no one could see it, frequently tucked into the pocket of his suit pants.

Then came Thursday.

Pronger was back to being a media darling. He took questions, cracked jokes, playfully got into it with one reporter, looked good on the ice firing slap shots at will, and was using his right hand for a lot more - holding a water bottle, motioning with it while emphasizing a point.

He went from less than five minutes of ice time in Game 6 playing solely on the power play, to 17-plus minutes in Game 7 playing both PP and even strength.

Might he be ready for the full load come Saturday and Game 1 against Boston? We'll see, but I'm betting yes.

I've not been told anything, it's solely based on instinct and observation. And if Pronger is back to being the Pronger that became a Philadelphia rock star last spring, then the Flyers are in a far better position this time against the Bruins.

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

Just for kicks, and because I know my colleague will get a laugh once he reads this, here is a transcription of the playful exchange between Pronger and Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly.com after practice Thursday. As you will see, I play a good straight man.

To set the scene, Pronger purposely ignored a question from Panaccio during the media scrum just prior to this exchange.

Pronger: (To me as Tim's walking over) Here comes Tim. Watch this.

Tim: You didn't answer my question.

Pronger: You had a question?

Tim: Yeah, and you didn't answer it.

Pronger: Let's hear it.

Tim: Are you surprised that Boston didn't score a single power play goal in the (first round of the) playoffs.

Pronger: Am I surprised?

Tim: Yeah. That's almost unheard of.

Me: It is. It's never happened.

Pronger: There you go. There's always a first for everything. There's always firsts. They scored three overtime-winning goals. That in itself makes up for all the power play stuff.

Tim: Given your power play has struggled almost as much as theirs...

Pronger: (cutting Tim off) Wow, how many did we get?

Tim: How many did you get?

Me: You got five.

Pronger: (dripping with sarcasm) Oh, We got five. Ohhhhh.

Tim: Big difference.

Pronger: Oh? Zero and five, that's close isn't it?

Tim: You were seven percent.

Pronger: Is that what it was?

Tim: Yeah.

Pronger: Are you sure?

Tim: Yeah.

Me: Actually it was 14 percent.

Pronger: (to Me) Thank you. (to Tim) Get your stats right and then come back and talk to me.

Tim: You think this is a series where the power play is going to make the difference?

Pronger: (to Me) What was our power play percentage?

Me: Fourteen.

Pronger: Ohhhhh. O.K.

Tim: It was seven before you came back and then it went to 14.

Pronger: Ohhhh. O.K. Well, 14 and seven aren't the same Tim.

Tim: It's double.

Pronger: (surprised that Tim's math is so good, he raises his eyebrows) Ahhhh....

(general laughter from the audience of the rest of the media and Flyers staff present).

Pronger: Double? So, make sure you have your stats correct before you ask a question. Because it's very misleading.

Tim: It was seven before it became 14 percent.

Pronger: You see, but that's not a question. You're trying to make a statement Tim with your question and it doesn't work that way.

Me: (To Tim) You want help?

Tim: (ignoring me) Are you going to see this as a difference in the series, these two teams that can't seem to score power play goals? Whoever gets the most is probably going to win this.

Pronger: You're still not getting it Tim. I still don't understand the question.

Me: (Finally coming to the rescue) How important will special teams be in this series?

Pronger: Special teams are always important. Whether you look at the negatives like Tim, or look at the positives accomplished, penalty kill and power play are always essential to winning in the playoffs and this series is going to be no different.

Me: (to Tim) Happy?

Tim: (Grumbles a response kind of like yeah)

Pronger: You're better than that Tim! You're better than that.

(At this point I turned off my recorder... there was another few seconds of back and forth between them before Pronger walked off, feeling victorious).

So, like I said before, he's back.

Here it is, hot off the press:


GAME 1 – Saturday, April 30 at Philadelphia – 3:05 PM. NBC

GAME 2 – Monday, May 2 at Philadelphia – 7:35 PM. Versus

GAME 3 – Wednesday, May 4 at Boston – 7:05 PM. Versus

GAME 4 – Friday, May 6 at Boston – 8:05 PM. CSN

GAME 5 – Sunday, May 8 at Philadelphia – 3:05 PM. NBC

GAME 6 – Tuesday, May 10 at Boston – TBD, CSN

GAME 7 – Thursday, May 12 at Philadelphia – TBD, CSN

Lost amid the euphoria of the Flyers Game 7 victory over Buffalo Tuesday was the fact that Michael Leighton, starter in Game 6 of this series, was not in the building to celebrate with his teammates.

Where he was is a matter that is being kept pretty hush-hush by the Flyers.

However one team source told the Daily TImes tonight that Leighton was very upset with himself after his Game 6 performance and didn't show up for the morning practice Tuesday.

According to the source, the Flyers tried to contact him early Tuesday but couldn't reach him. They finally got through to him later on Tuesday.

It is unclear what conversation took place with Leighton - either with coach Peter Laviolette or G.M. Paul Holmgren, but Leighton was not with the team in any capacity Tuesday.

A second Flyers source, who said he had no knowledge of Leighton's temporary disappearance, said that Leighton was hurting - both physically and emotionally after Game 6.

Flyers president Peter Luukko denied this report saying he hadn't heard anything about Leighton at all and that he would know if something that serious had taken place.

General manager Paul Holmgren answered an email outlining this story and completely denied it with one brief response, saying the story is "absolutely not true."

We'll look into this more tomorrow to see if we can get more information.

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

In other news, I was told tonight that television can still change the schedule depending on matchups, but the belief is Game 1 will be Saturday and Game 2 Monday in Philadelphia. Games 3 and 4 next Wednseday and Friday in either Tampa, Boston or Pittsburgh (the preferred order for this traveler),and Game 5 back here Mother's Day afternoon.

If there was ever a deserving candidate for the Masterton Award playing in Philadelphia, it has to be Ian Laperriere.

After all he went through in the past year after blocking a shot with his face against the Devils in last season's playoffs, Laperriere has still been an integral part of the Flyers' organization both as a spokesman for the team and as a mentor to young players.

When the Philadelphia Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association discussed the possible candidates for this award, there was some concern that we couldn't come up with a deserving nominee from Philadelphia.

The problem was, we were thinking about players who were actually playing, and not the one that wasn't.

Then, Wayne Fish of the Bucks County Times came to me and said, "What about Lappy?"

Fish didn't have to make a compelling argument to me, because my initial reaction was that my cohort on the beat was thinking outside the box and came up with a genius recommendation.

I presented it to the rest of our regular beat writers who cover the team, and to a man, each one had the same revelation that I did - that it was a brilliant suggestion, and one we should have thought about right away.

I cobbled together a nomination letter that I sent to our national office and then the votes were cast.

Laperriere is among the three finalists for the award.

He is joined by two former Flyers - Ray Emery (Anaheim) and Daymond Langkow (Calgary) as finalists. The award will be presented at the NHL Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas in June.

Here, in it's entirety, was the nomination petition that I wrote for Lapperriere. A whittled down version is appearing on the league press release announcing the finalists today:


There are three qualities that identify a Bill Masterton Award nominee: Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Dedication to the sport of hockey. In Philadelphia there is only one player who exemplifies all three - and he hasn't played a game all season.
Ian Laperriere's hockey career spanned parts of 18 seasons with five different teams. In 2009-2010, he was an integral part in the Flyers unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Finals. As one of the best penalty killers and shot-blocking forwards in the sport, Lapperriere sacrificed his career and long-term health, blocking a Paul Martin slapshot with his face in the first round of the playoffs against New Jersey.

The damage was severe - A concussion, a fractured orbital bone, an absurd number of stitches, and a spot on his brain from where the impact took place.

Yet, this did not deter Laperriere, who returned a little more than a month later to finish the Flyers playoff run that ended two games short of a championship.

Lapperriere gave it a go in training camp this season with the Flyers, but could not overcome his concussion-related symptoms and has been on the long-term injury list all season.

It is likely that Laperriere will never play hockey again, although he hasn't officially retired from the league yet.

Yet, while a player with a long-term injury could simply stay away from the rink, Laperriere has meant so much more to the Flyers organization.

He continues to be a representative of the team at many charity functions. He accepted an award on behalf of his teammates at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Banquet. He still frequents many games as an eye in the sky, watching from the press box and talking to the players about his observations directly after games.

But, most importantly, Laperriere has remained a mentor for many of the young players in the Flyers organization. Laperriere befriended several young players last summer when they were in Philadelphia working out and took part in rookie camp. All of them were re-assigned to the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL and when the Phantoms were going through an horrific start to their season, Laperriere made a trip to Glens Falls, N.Y. on his own to check in with the young players and to offer them advice on how to turn their season around.

While it didn't get the Phantoms into the playoffs, it certainly made them a better and more competitive team over the course of the second half of the season.

Laperriere's longevity in the sport of hockey shows his perseverance. As a well-liked and well-respected player on the ice, in the locker room and by the fans - videos of him on the big screen still garner standing ovations in Philadelphia, which is unheard of for a player who played just one year in the city - shows he is a shining example of sportsmanship.

And his continued dedication to the Flyers and their future despite the uncertainty of his own puts him at the forefront of a list of people dedicated to the sport of hockey.

It is with that said that the Philadelphia Chapter of the PHWA emphatically supports Ian Laperriere as our most deserving Masterton nominee in a long, long time.

What is it about Ville Leino and the playoffs?

Heck, what is it about this group of Flyers and the playoffs?

With the exception of Game 6 against Chicago in last year's final, the Flyers know how to cheat death.

"I think we've shown heart and character from the onset of the season," said Chris Pronger, who played just seven power play shifts in his return. "There's always a lot of ups and downs and different adversities that you go through in a season, and we happen to come through in clutch and we did again (in Game 6)."

Leino was the hero, scoring the biggest goal of his career in overtime to force a Game 7.

And it was on his odd shift apart from his normal line with Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell.

With the Flyers dressing seven defensemen to get Chirs Pronger on the ice for five minutes of power play time, they had to double shift forwards at times since there were only 11 of them to go around on four lines.

Mostly, what coach Peter Laviolette chose to do was mix and match a third forward onto the line with Mike Richards and Kris Versteeg.

All three of Briere, Hartnell and Leino took turns on the right wing of that line as did James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux and Dan Carcillo.

And it was that ever-changing look to that line that made them so effective in Game 6 as it often caused matchup problems for the Sabres' young defensive corps.

It's no surprise that was one of the key reasons the Flyers were able to get 49 shots on Ryan Miller whereas they struggled to do so well in the five previous games - they were able to get the matchup advantage in a road game - something that is awful difficult to do when the home team gets the last line change during stoppages.

And Leino, who has become a playoff cult hero, was the latest to conquer the Sabres in what has been a wildly entertaining series.

"We just didn't want to get frustrated," Leino said. "We wanted to stick with the program and keep doing things the way we were doing them and it worked out in the end."

The program called for Scott Hartnell to be the recipient of the tying goal on a pass from Richards, it called for Danny Briere to score twice - reaching five goals in this six game series, and it called for James van Riemsdyk to stay red hot, scoring his third goal of the series and lead the team in shots with 10.

"We just have confidence in one another no matter what time of the game it is ir what the situation is," Richards said. "Our season was on the line and we just wanted to throw it all out there and save nothing for tomorrow because if we would have lost it wouldn't have meant anything."

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

On another note, after getting back to the hotel and flipping on the television, it really got my goat at how embellished the analysis of the Flyers goaltending was tending to be.

Barry Melrose called it the worst goaltending he's ever seen in the playoffs. Matthew Barnaby called it a joke. People were laughing at the Flyers goalies right on television.

Jeremy Roenick rolled a pair of dice on T.V. and said it came up with Boucher's number for Game 7.

Look, all three Flyers goalies have had first periods to forget for sure. But, let's break this down for a second, shall we?

Brian Boucher's goals against average in the playoffs is 2.12. That's the third best of any goalie who has started in the postseason. His save percentage is .938. That's tied for third-best in the playoffs.

If it really was the worst goaltending ever in the playoffs, wouldn't he be like 16th or something? Let's not exaggerate for exaggeration's sake please.

Also, where's the outcry for other goalies?

Sure Ryan Miller has two shutouts, but in the other four games he's allowed 16 goals. Why don't we hear anything about that 4.00 GAA in his 1-3 games?

Anybody outside of Vancouver screaming about Roberto Luongo as the Canucks are on the brink of an historic choke job?

Anyone criticizing the play of Antti Niemi in San Jose that he's been yanked twice in five games, or does the fact that he has a Stanley Cup on his resume protect him from any criticism?

Or is it just that it's easy to pick on the Flyers?

That's probably the more likely scenario for a bunch of blabbermouths who sit in a green room all day and watch games on TV and don't actually come out to see the games in person.

Look, the Flyers goaltending situation is not ideal. I've even been critical of it this week - but at least do so in context. Say Sergei Bobrovsky has talent, but just isn't ready for playoff hockey as a rookie.

Say Michael Leighton is a different goalie after back surgery this season than he was last season.

And give Boucher credit for how he's played save the opening four minutes of Game 5.

Otherwise, don't say anything at all, because you sound like a sanctimonious dope.

Peter Laviolette said he's going to sleep on his goaltender decision for Game 6... but won't make a public declaration Saturday.

That's fine, it's all part of the gamesmanship of the playoffs.

But if Laviolette is a smart coach, and there's plenty of evidence to prove that is the case, he will go back to Brian Boucher in goal for Game 6.

Really, there's no other choice.

Here's why:

He's the best goalie they have when it comes to dealing with the pressure of an elimination game.

Yes, Michael Leighton did the job in three elimination games against Boston last season - but don't forget the Bruins were bereft of any offensive talent whatsoever at that point and the Flyers had a date with destiny.

That was also pre-back injury Leighton. He's a lot different now. He's good enough to win in the AHL, but not the NHL - otherwise he'd have played more than one NHL game this season AND he wouldn't have started the playoffs third on the depth chart.

He's fine in an emergency, but once again you saw his weaknesses in Game 5. He allowed just one goal - the game winner, but it was a big rebound - something he is prone to giving up.

Not to mention, he looked shaky throughout the rest of the game. There were a few shots he stopped with good positioning, but there were a lot of close calls too. He seemed rusty. He seemed a little slow - no matter what the players and coaches say about him calming things down - he went untested until late in the third period.

As for Sergei Bobrovsky, he might have the most skill, talent and upside, but he is a not-ready-for-prime-time player. Let's talk Bobrovsky down the road. For now, he's a non-factor.

Which leaves Boucher.

Yes, he gave up a pair of unsightly goals in the first period. Yes he put his team in a bad spot by only stopping eight of 11 shots before leaving the ice, trailing the game 3-0. Yes he is a journeyman and, to most observers, no better than a backup.

But, he is best prepared to handle the rigors of a Game 6 in Buffalo. Remember, until the crazy first period ensued, Boucher led all goalies in save percentage in the playoffs - better than Henrik Lundqvist. Better than Roberto Luongo. Better than Antti Niemi. Better than Marc-Andre Fleury. Better than Carey Price. Better than all of them.

And now, after a horrible performance - the worst of his career and the first time in 32 career playoff starts that he was yanked - Boucher wants another crack at it.

“I’d very much like to redeem myself,” Boucher said. “It was my responsibility tonight. I take ownership in that. To put your team in a hole like that in such an important game – they didn’t deserve that. I’d to get a second crack at it. We’ll see what happens.”

If you listen to Leighton, he's already resigned to the fact that it's Boucher's series to lose.

"I definitely want to play but Boosh has done a great job to get us in this situation and tonight was one of those nights," Leighton said. "Two of those goals... you can probably take 100 shots from there and you might score one, so it's a tough bounce. (Like Patrick Kane in Game 6 of the Cup Finals, but I digress) We have confidence in Boosh. He's going to bounce back and play a good one in Buffalo."

Boucher wants to get back in the net. Leighton wants him there too. All that's left is for Laviolette to wake up tomorrow and realize the same thing - it's his best and only choice.

"I'll bounce back," Boucher said. "I'm a pretty resilient person. I'm pretty upset right now, I'm not going to lie to you. It was a big game and I wanted to have a good start and I didn't have that."

There's no guarantee Boucher will win Game 6 - or both Game 6 and Game 7 for that matter, but if you're playing the odds, he's a better bet than anyone else.

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

On a separate note, but still related tot he goaltending situation, it was a little more than a year ago that I was talking to Flyers' president Peter Luukko in the press box and he told me the Flyers couldn't continue to go on the same way with the goalies.

"We can't keep going the same way we have year after year," Luukko said. "We have to go in a different direction with goaltending - get someone young and stick with him."

That was before the unexpected run to the Finals. Before Leighton's magic act. Before Boucher's gutsy first round performance.

But, they did follow what Luukko said - and tried to turn things over to Bobrovsky. But, that didn't work either - at least not now.

Once again the offseason will be ripe with questions about goalies. Will the Flyers ever learn? Or will we see another playoff with the two of the three goalies currently in the mix trying to win a Cup again?

It seems like the vicious circle that will never end. Pity.

Color me surprised, and I don't think I'm alone.

The same people who have been telling me for weeks that Pronger would miss much of the first round of the playoffs after re-injuring his fractured right hand are the same people who assured me that Pronger would play tonight.

I just got a phone call that said, "Sorry, I was wrong" from both of them.

That's because Pronger just isn't ready, physically.

He took two slap shots in the morning skate with his team, then stayed on the ice for several minutes taking shots by himself to test his strength. The frustration was evident on his face and as he walked off the ice, he again declined to speak with the media.

After a meeting with coach Peter Laviolette it was determined that Pronger would not play tonight, meaning the Flyers will be without both their best defenseman and their best goal scorer, as Jeff Carter is also out of the lineup with a sprained ligament in his right knee.

Both sources who called me today told me that Pronger has been feeling a little bit of pressure to come back as soon as possible, but at the same time, the stalwart defenseman has been able to not let that cloud his judgment.

And yet, he is champing at the bit to get back into this series, but doesn't want to get on the ice in a limited role and would rather come back at 100 percent.

While the Flyers do miss him, defense has hardly been the problem in this series against the Sabres. The Flyers need to score goals on Ryan Miller.

If they were able to do that more consistently, this series could be over by now. Instead, after two 1-0 losses sandwiched their two wins, the Flyers are in desperation mode against a less-talented Buffalo squad.

It appears Ben Holmstrom will replace Carter in the lineup, with Darroll Powe playing alongside Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk in Carter's spot.

One other note...

If in fact there is a Game 7 in this series Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center, the Game time will be 7:30 p.m., not 7 p.m.

Great news for fans getting to the game, horrible news for those of us with ridiculously early deadlines who have to write about it.

- Ryan Miller had his best game of the series. For those that thought he was deserving of the first star in Game 1 (he wasn't) take a look at this game. See the difference? Miller flat out stole Game 4. In Game 1, he was good, but not spectacular - he didn't have to be. In Game 4 he was great because if he wasn't, the Sabres wouldn't have won. Plain and simple.

- The penalty called on Mike Richards by referee Francois St. Laurent was a flat out joke. Has anyone ever seen a major penalty assessed on someone who wasn't being an agressor? Richards was defending himself from a big hit. He got his arm up. Patrick Kaleta ran into him. You want to give him two minutes for elbowing because he wasn't in control of his elbow - fine. But a five-minute major? For that? Please. There have been far worse hits in this playoff alone that received lesser punishment. Good thing the Sabres didn't score, or the outcome didn't hinge on that call, or there would be far more made of it.

- Jeff Carter suffered a right knee injury on a collision with Tyler Myers in the first period and didn't return. The Flyers are calling it a day-to-day injury. Just like Chris Pronger's been for three weeks.

- Speaking of Pronger, anyone want to lay odds on his return Friday? I'm all but guaranteeing it.

- It would be remiss to not mention the play of Brian Boucher in Game 4. Many of is 28 saves were huge, including stoning Tyler Ennis on a breakaway in the third period. He's allowed four goals in three games, and none have been his fault. He'll get the nod again in the pivotal Game 5. It'll only be his second start at the Wells Fargo Center since Feb. 10. (3/27 vs. Boston).

- The penalty kill was outstanding - and not just because they killed off the five-minute major to Richards (although, as Laviolette said, that may have been their best kill all year). They kept the Sabres from even getting set up for much of the 9:41 the Sabres had in man-advantage time. If they can continue to do that, Miller is going to have to be perfect to beat the Flyers two more times.

- Based on that penalty killing - and his even strength play - Kris Versteeg was outstanding in Game 4. In one of his better games as a Flyer, Versteeg was creative, he was a pest. He was what the Flyers envisioned when trading a first and third round draft pick to Toronto for him. Again, if he keeps going at that level, the Sabres will struggle to find answers.

It's certainly been a roller coaster of a season for Nik Zherdev.

He went from promising goal scorer to Peter Laviolette's doghouse to being waived, to not being wanted by any team in the league, to coming back to the Flyers with a new attitude to scoring a game-winning goal in the playoffs.

That's what happened Monday when he potted he winning tally in a 4-2 Flyers win over the Buffalo Sabres that gave them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Re-inserted into the lineup because of a facial laceration to Andreas Nodl, Zherdev supplied a good bit of jump to his line with Mike Richards and Kris Versteeg, and was rewarded with the first playoff point of his career.

"Yeah it was," Zherdev said when asked if his first playoff goal was special. "First one. Game-winner. The team won. It was good."

O.K., so he's a man of few words. Nevertheless, he made an impression on his teammates and his coach.

"Since (he was waived) the most impressive part for me has been his attitude," coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's committed just like everyone else. He got an opportunity and scored a big goal for us. He had a couple other opportunities too and set up Richards just after that through the crease back door.

"There's always two different roads you can go down at that point - maybe go south, where you never get a player back, or do what you have to do, work hard with the coaches, work hard to stay in shape and improve conditioning. He did that, worked hard and made a difference."

Zherdev gave Richards' line an offensive boost that makes them more dangerous, especially with Richards and Versteeg being two-way players.

"He always seems to find the net whenever he gets back in the lineup," Richards said.

And the captain is right.

Monday marked the sixth time this season Zherdev returned to the lineup after being scratched by Laviolette and in four of the six occasions he posted at least one point, scoring a goal in three of them.

"I'm not worried about that (other stuff)," Zherdev said. "I'm just focused on the playoffs."

And if he does stay focused on the playoffs and provide the offense he provided Monday, he could be a big part of a lengthy Flyers run.

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

A couple of odd historical notes:

- The Sabres are 0-15 in playoff series that they have trailed 2-1.

- In 30 career playoff starts, Boucher has never been pulled.

- Danny Briere now is 5-4-9 in seven games in Buffalo since joining the Flyers.

- The Flyers are 18-3 all-time when leading 2-1 and are 14-7 all-time in the subsequent Games 4.

Hate to be an I told you so but...

Brian Boucher will start Game 3 tonight.

Michael Leighton will be his backup.

Sergei Bobrovsky is now the No. 3 goalie.

While there's a chance the first two could flip-flop at some point in these playoffs, it wouldn't surprise me if the last one remains that way for the rest of the Spring.

Quite simply, the kid's not ready for the postseason. That's not to say the Flyers have given up on him, it's just that they recognize a need to win now, and they feel the tandem of Boucher and Leighton gives them a better chance than any to do just that.

“I thought Brian came in and the last couple times has done a really nice job for us,” Laviolette said. “He’s on top of his game and in charge of his net. He’s bailed us out of a couple situations. He deserves to go in there and play.”

As for Leighton being the backup, Laviolette wouldn't talk about it. Nor would he talk about Bobrovsky's demotion.

So how do we know for sure?

Well, Both Boucher and Leighton came off the ice with the rest of the starters following the morning practice for one while Bobrovsky again stayed on longer with the extra skaters.

And then there was General Manager Paul Holmgren, who wouldn't really comment on what the coach's decision was, but certainly hinted that Leighton was thismuch closer to playing in the playoffs than he was before.

"When we resigned Michael (this year), we thought our goaltending duo would be Leighton and Boucher," Holmgren said. "Obviously dominoes started to fall in training camp when Michael went down with a back injury which required surgery. Sergei's play in training camp and at the start of the year, it's just that a different scenario kind of played itself out. Sergei took advantage of an opportunity with Michael out.

"But Michael's a good goalie. He went down to American League and never (complained) and played great. He kind of got his game back and he's 100 percent healthy. If he gets an opportunity, I think he'll be fine."

The buckshot of the whole ordeal is this: the Flyers, once again, have goalie drama in the playoffs, which has become a right of Spring. Laviolette has had success with this before - winning the Stanley Cup in 2006 with a few goalie hiccups along the way - but this is truly classic Flyers.

Speaking of Classic Flyers....

What's the truth about Chris Pronger's hand injury? Was the setback in fact another break?

That's what a report by NBC-10 in Philadelphia said last night on it's "Sports Final" show.

However Holmgren vehemently denied the report, calling it irresponsible journalism.

“They think they can throw whatever they want against the wall and see if it sticks,” Holmgren said.

However Holmgren did admit two weeks ago that Pronger had a "setback," but would still be ready for the playoffs.

I was told at the time by a source not affiliated with the team that Pronger had a second procedure on his hand after he re-injured it shooting pucks at practice in late March.

When asked if that was true, Holmgren also denied it, saying it was "completely untrue."

Now this report, which had both Holmgren and Pronger a bit annoyed at the morning skate today.

Pronger practiced with the team, but didn't take any hard shots, just flipping a few shots towards the goalies from in close. He also stayed on the ice long after the rest of the team to continue working with assistant coach Kevin McCarthy.

Pronger will not play in Game 3 and Holmgren still is calling his status day-to-day.

Another roster change that came via a source, since most of the management and coaches are now suffering from lockjaw, is that Nik Zherdev will replace Andreas Nodl in the lineup.

Nodl had a cut on his cheek in Game 2 and ended up playing just six first period shifts. The Flyers are keeping him out with an upper body injury and he is day-to-day.

On the Buffalo side, defenseman Jordan Leopold, probably their No. 2 guy behind Tyler Myers, will return tonight from a fractured hand similar to Pronger's. The difference was Leopold did not have a surgical procedure, let a lone two.

However, his return is a bit of a surprise as he appear to be 1-2 weeks ahead of schedule.

As the final horn sounded and the "send" button was being pushed on the lap tops of the 100 or so media jammed into the press box, the boos emanated from the crowd below.
At that point, a fellow writer walked by me, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "The natives are getting restless."

That they are. It's because they saw a Game 1 loss to an inferior team. It's because the team didn't care about hockey for a month and that frustrated them to no end.

It's because they now are letting their instinct kick in - the same instinct that always tells Flyers fans in the Spring to panic after following the Stepford mantra through 82 games.

It's certainly understandable.

But, it's also a bit of a rash response.

Consider:

The Flyers dictated the play for much of the game. They controlled the puck. They out-hit the Sabres. They out-worked the Sabres. They out-everythinged the Sabres except for in two places - on the scoreboard and in the crease.

And while those are two very important aspects to a hockey game - and the blatantly obvious reason the Flyers are trailing the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series 1-0 - they are not the most tell-tale signs from this game.

No, the most telling thing to me, is the Flyers are the better team - by a lot.

All they need to do is find a way to score a few goals.

Sounds simple, but it's not all that hard - especially if they continue to dictate the defensive game. The Sabres got very few chances. Very few. Sergei Bobrovsky had 24 saves and I had to do a double-take when looking at the scoresheet, because it didn't seem like that many - not even close.

Meanwhile, the Flyers were buzzing around Miller and got a lot of good first shots, they just didn't pounce on rebounds - that might be the one area they look to improve at practice.

But, that said, if the Flyers play games 2-through-whatever like they played Game 1, they'll win this series with relative ease.

Miller stole one game - even if he wasn't the first star (this writer thought James van Riemsdyk was more impressive on the ice) - and he could steal another one along the way.

But the Sabres can't compete with the Flyers when their system is rolling - and that was evident for much of Game 1.

And here's the belief that it'll be evident the rest of the way too.

Watching the Flyers play of late leaves one feeling like the team is undeserving of any accolades - individual or otherwise.

However, as is custom for the final home game of the regular season, the team will hand out it's annual awards prior to tonight's game with the New York Islanders.

There are four major awards - the Bobby Clarke Trophy for the team MVP, the Barry Ashbee Trophy for the best defenseman, the Yanick Dupre Class Guy Award for the player adjudged to best illustrate character, dignity and respect for the sport both on and off the ice, and finally the Pelle Lindbergh Award given to the most improved player on the team.

The Clarke and Ashbee Awards are voted on by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters. The Dupre Award is voted on and presented by members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA).
The Lindbergh Award is voted on by the players themselves.

Here is a breakdown of the winners, and how my ballot looked for each award:


Bobby Clarke Trophy: This year's recipient is Claude Giroux. Pretty much a landslide winner, Giroux is getting the award because he is the team's leading scorer by a lot. Heading into the final game of the season he has 25 goals and 51 assists for 76 points, 11 more than the next closest scorers Danny Briere and Jeff Carter.

Giroux, who was a first-time All-Star this season is really coming into his own and should be a force for the Flyers for many years to come as he plays in all situations.

However, he didn't get my first place vote. That, instead, went to Carter, who I feel is more valuable because of the style he plays. Not only is he the team's best goal scorer (36 goals), but he's tied for the team lead in power play goals (eight) leads the team in game-winning goals (seven) is the best plus/minus forward by a lot (plus-25, six better than the next-best forwards), rarely takes a dumb penalty (and as such is a candidate for the Lady Byng Award league-wide), and is arguably the most fluid skater on the team (along with Braydon Coburn) which allows him to make up ground easier on opponents and cover for teammate mistakes.

I just think Carter is more valuable as an all-around player. As skilled as Giroux is, he is a gambler and sometimes turns the puck over too much.

Here was my ballot:

1. Carter
2. Giroux
3. Briere

Barry Ashbee Award: In what was easily the closest and hardest vote, this year's recipient is Andrej Meszaros.

While there is little doubt that Chris Pronger is the team's best defenseman (and probably best player) it's difficult to present him an award after missing 30-plus games.

Which made this race wide-open. Kimmo Timonen seemed like a logical candidate as he had another, solid and uber-consistent season. But, Meszaros outshone him - mostly because he performed at a level far beyond many expectations.

Meszaros was the best plus-minus defenseman. His advance statistics - for the sabermetricians among us - were also off the charts. He was the best hitter on the blue line as well and added some punch offensively, especially after Pronger went down. He also frequently logged the biggest minutes in Pronger's absence, showing that he had the faith of the coaches as a top defender as well.

But really, an argument can be made here for Timonen, Matt Carle or Coburn, all of whom had excellent seasons defensively for the Flyers. As a voter, I felt bad that I left Coburn off the ballot, because I felt this was his best season, but Carle really shined in my opinion without Pronger.

My ballot:

1. Meszaros
2. Timonen
3. Carle

Yanick Dupre Class Guy: This year's winner was a slam dunk, but there were a couple of good options for second place.

Brian Boucher was an easy winner. He not only is good with the media - which is what the award was originally designed for, but when it comes to character, dignity and respect for the sport, Boucher, who has had a roller coaster career, is a great option. Here is a transcription of an interview we did with him earlier this week when we told him he was going to win the award:

>On the award:

Well, it means a lot. To have you guys look at me in that way means a lot to me. Some days are better than others, as far as this job.
Certainly, players sometimes we can be short with you guys. I hope you guys don’t take that stuff personally. . .(sometimes) it’s a matter of how you’re feeling that day. That’s nice of you guys to vote me for that. I appreciate it.

>We expanded the award about 6 years ago to include sportsmanship, giving back to the community and so forth. Do players feel a sense that they should give back to the community?

Certainly to our fans, especially, I think since the lockout. It’s understandable that we could have lost some fans during that time. I think it’s everybody’s duty to try to get them back. We can do that. I know even the Flyers organization – obviously we do that for the Wives’ Carnival but we also do it for suiteholders. Special events for them. . .bowling night. The organization is trying to connect with the fans. As players, we enjoy doing that stuff.
As far as sportsmanship goes, some days we’re probably sore sports. But you try your best to do the right thing and do the job. It’s awful nice to be voted in.

>Is player-fan interaction important, in your opinion?

I think it is. I think in some places it’s even more important because maybe the fan base isn’t there in the NHL. I think here in Philadelphia we have a strong fan base. I think at times we can take it for granted and assume they’re going to show up and we don’t have to give back. But that’s not the case. As players, I think we should always take the responsibility with great pride. In other areas, you can’t forget, if the fans aren’t there, you really have to go the extra mile. So here, we’re thankful that we have great fans and that they show up every night. For us to give back at any time, it’s our privilege to do that and we feel good doing it.

>Think you’ve changed since you first started out as a player?

I think I’ve grown, for sure. You know, when you’re think, it’s tough to put things in perspective. You can be self-absorbed at times. It’s hard to look at the big picture. But you get old and you go through some years, been through some adversity and gotten through the other side, it’s not all that bad. There’s a bigger picture. So I just come in everyday and try to be as positive as I can. Support my teammates and try to keep them loose. Try to be a good buy like that. It’s a tough game and some days are better than others. If you can be a positive influence on people, make them smile, make them laugh at a time that maybe they’re stressed out maybe, that’s what I like to do.

Other good choices would have been Jody Shelley (who I predict will win this award in the next two seasons) or Sean O'Donnell, who was a great veteran voice in the locker room when Pronger was down for half the season. Danny Briere and Ian Laperriere were ineligible for the award as previous winners (we don't allow repeat winners).

My ballot:

1. Boucher
2. Shelley
3. O'Donnell

The Pelle Lindbergh Award When you're looking for a most improved player from last season to this season, there really only were two candidates - James van Riemsdyk and Andreas Nodl.

The players chose Nodl, and why not? He became a much bigger part of the team this season, and even showed that, yes, he could contribute offensively. JVR started to come into his own a little bit, and there are times when you see him growing into what the No. 2 overall pick in the draft should be, but he still needs another year or two to reach that peak. Nodl made the most marked improvement, and for that, I think his teammates made a wise choice.

Those were the words used so eloquently by Terry Murray when the Flyers didn't show up in the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals.

Yet, what we are witnessing here could be far worse.

At least that Flyers team made it to the Finals and gave fans reason to hope.

This team doesn't seem to instill any hope at all.

Five straight losses have cost them the top spot in the East that they coveted for so long.

One more loss would likely cost them the Atlantic Division crown too.

There's nothing about how the Flyers are playing right now that instills any confidence in any observer to pick them to do anything of substance in the playoffs.

None of their possible first round opponents strike fear into the heart, but neither do the Flyers seem really ready to beat anyone at this point, be it Montreal, Buffalo or Tampa Bay in the first round.

There's no question that the Flyers are more talented than all three of those teams, but talent only goes so far. At some point you have to put in honest work to flaunt that talent. Problem is too few players are bringing the lunch pail and punching the clock.

The loss to Buffalo Friday wasn't ugly. The flyers actually played well for most of it - but they still lost- and have done so 15 times in the last 21 games - sometimes spectacularly and sometimes while looking disinterested.

You don't just turn that off and turn on the A game overnight. It's a process. It takes time.

And that's something the Flyers have just about run out of.

He hasn't played a game all season, but that didn't stop the Philadelphia Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from nominating him for the Bill Masterton Award this season.

The Masterton is supposed to go to the player adjudged to show the most perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport of hockey.

Unfortunately, the award is often given to somone who has overcome great odds - serious injury or illness - to continue their hockey career.

While those are feel good stories (read: Ray Emery in Anaheim this season) they don't really embody the terms of the award.

If you want to go by what the award actually calls for, the Flyers have a great nominee this season.

Here's the nomination letter I wrote to the rest of the PHWA in support of Laperriere for the Masterton:

There are three qualities that identify a Bill Masterton Award nominee: Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Dedication to the sport of hockey. In Philadelphia there is only one player who exemplifies all three - and he hasn't played a game all season.
Ian Laperriere's hockey career spanned parts of 18 seasons with five different teams. In 2009-2010, he was an integral part in the Flyers unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Finals. As one of the best penalty killers and shot-blocking forwards in the sport, Lapperriere sacrificed his career and long-term health, blocking a Paul Martin slapshot with his face in the first round of the playoffs against New Jersey.
The damage was severe - A concussion, a fractured orbital bone, an absurd number of stitches, and a spot on his brain from where the impact took place.
Yet, this did not deter Laperriere, who returned a little more than a month later to finish the Flyers playoff run that ended two games short of a championship.
Lapperriere gave it a go in training camp this season with the Flyers, but could not overcome his concussion-related symptoms and has be on the long-term injury list all season.
It is likely that Laperriere will never play hockey again, although he hasn't officially retired from the league yet.
Yet, while a player with a long-term injury could simply stay away from the rink, Laperriere has meant so much more to the Flyers organization.
He continues to be a representative of the team at many charity functions. He accepted an award on behalf of his teammates at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Banquet. He still frequents many games as an eye in the sky, watching from the press box and talking to the players about his observations directly after games.
But, most importantly, Laperriere has remained a mentor for many of the young players in the Flyers organization. Laperriere befriended several young players last summer when they were in Philadelphia working out and took part in rookie camp. All of them were re-assigned to the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL and when the Phantoms were going through an horrific start to their season, Laperriere made a trip to Glens Falls, N.Y. on his own to check in with the young players and to offer them advice on how to turn their season around.
While it didn't get the Phantoms into the playoffs, it certainly made them a better and more competitive team over the course of the second half of the season.
Laperriere's longevity in the sport of hockey shows his perseverance. As a well-liked and well-respected player on the ice, in the locker room and by the fans - videos of him on the big screen still garner standing ovations in Philadelphia, which is unheard of for a player who played just one year in the city - shows he is a shining example of sportsmanship. And his continued dedication to the Flyers and their future despite the uncertainty of his own puts him at the forefront of a list of people dedicated to the sport of hockey.
It is with that said that the Philadelphia Chapter of the PHWA emphatically supports Ian Laperriere as our most deserving Masterton nominee in a long, long time.

We told Ian about this yesterday. Here is the brief interview we conducted with him:

Anthony SanFilippo (PHWA Philadelphia Chapter Chairman) Opening Statement:

Ian, as you know about this award a little bit, we got together with the Chapter this year and decided that although you haven’t actually been on the ice this season, you still embody the three characteristics that the league is looking for when determining a Masterton candidate. We felt, pretty unanimously, that you still maintain those characteristics off the ice in what you do and how you conduct yourself. We wanted to nominate you this year as our candidate for the Masterton Award.

Lappy:

“Thank you very much. I got caught by surprise a little bit, and like you said, I didn’t play in one game, but it’s life. I know what it means. It means that I tried to be a good human being on and off the ice, and when you guys are voting for me, it’s telling me that I’m doing a pretty good job off the ice.”

Q: How has it been for you to kind of continue to stay involved with the sport of hockey while this is going on for you? Obviously, as someone who has played as long as you have, you know you want to keep being out there, keep being out there. The fact that you haven’t been able to be out there, but at the same time being able to do things around the team… I know earlier you [took a] trip up to Glens Falls to go see some of the young players that you befriended in the summer. How has that been for you to kind of keep being around the sport even though you’re not able to play?

“Well, it’s been the hardest point of my career. I said that before and I still feel the same today. To tell you the truth, everything happens for a reason and I am a big believer that for me to be a Flyer while it happened to me is kind of there is something behind it. They are taking care of me and I can’t imagine any other team, or maybe a couple teams, but not that many teams that would take care of their players like they are doing with me. They have been giving me all the tools to keep me busy and they know how much I love the game. I just can’t play right now and they just give me all the tools to stay in the game and stay close to the game. I can’t thank the Flyers enough, and Zack Hill is one of those guys too, he has been helping me a lot. It’s great, but it’s been hard, It’s been hard watching, it’s been hard not to be a part of something like I’ve been used to since I’m five years old, but that’s something I have to deal with. It’s pretty much all I can say about that, it’s been a hard year but there is nothing I can do about it.”

Q: Would you like to get involved in coaching down the road? It seems as though you enjoyed the time with some of the younger players.

“Yeah, that is one of the things that I’m touching. Right now, with all the free time I have, I try to get involved with hockey as much as I can. I get to help out with the junior leagues and American Hockey League and I try to see as much hockey as I can. If down the road I get to coach those guys I could work with them in some kind of way. I do not know yet. It is one thing to play and I’m still going to try to come back and play, but I have to be honest with myself and my age. I am 37 years old, and I haven’t played for a year, and if I have something wrong with my eye then I am going to have to look at the other options to do something with my life. To be honest, I just can’t see myself going in another direction than hockey. Hockey has been my life and is going to always be my first love. I am going to try to do something in the game. I do not know if it is going to be coaching, but it is going to be around the game for sure. I really enjoy working with the young guys. I have been able to work with them last summer and in previous summers. I have always been an approachable guy and it is one of my qualities. I think that the younger guys appreciate that. I’m not saying I am a young guy, but I think I am really young at heart. I can relate to those young guys. We will see where life is going to take me, but right now I try to touch everything. I try to touch the media types, radio, and TV and stuff like that. I’ll try to touch everything before I have to make a decision.”

Sometimes a player is buried so deep in the coach's doghouse you think he's never getting out.

So read the saga of Nik Zherdev.

The guy so angered coach Peter Laviolette with his lazy play in one half of the ice that it didn't matter how offensively gifted he was, damn it he wasn't going to be in the lineup come hell or high water.

Well, the high water never came, but the offensive drought sure did. And it was that scoring famine that pushed Laviolette to grit his teeth and dress Zherdev for a game for the first time since March 6.

He played on a line with Jeff Carter and Claude Giroux, and it was the Flyers best offensive line for the entire 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Laviolette even mustered up enough will power to say something nice about Zherdev.

"I put Nik back in because he's been working hard and I wanted to give him that opportunity," Laviolette said. "I thought he responded as maybe one of our top forwards tonight."

Zherdev still left a little to be desired defensively, but hey, you can't ask for the world.

He did assist on the Carter goal and it was his first point in a game since January 23.

"I work hard and keep practicing and I played good," Zherdev said.

And until the Flyers figure out their offensive woes, it's a good bet Zherdev will be in the lineup.

........

Some interesting notes:

- The Flyers were credited with just one giveaway in the entire game (seems like the official scorers weren't paying attention but anyway...) if it is true, it matches a season low. They only had one giveaway in Columbus back in October.

- The Flyers blocked only four shots in the game - a season low.

- The Flyers are 33-8-5 when scoring the first goal. They finished the season series 3-2-1 against the Devils.

- And from the AHL: the Phantoms defeated Albany Friday 9-5. The nine goals matched a franchise record done three times previously, but not since Dec., 1999 at the Spectrum. Mike Testwuide had a hat trick and Michael Ryan had a five-point night (two goals, three assists).