"Although top-line winger Bill Guerin did not practice with the Penguins yesterday at Southpointe, he flew with them to Philadelphia afterward and likely will play against the Flyers tonight.

Guerin was hit in a lower extremity by a clearing pass by Philadelphia defenseman Chris Pronger late in the Penguins' 6-1 win Tuesday night at Mellon Arena.

"He's sore, but we're hoping it's not more than that," coach Dan Bylsma said. "We're hoping [this] morning he'll get on the ice and be fine to go for [tonight].

"I'm preparing like he's going to be playing."

Guerin had a goal in the game and has eight goals and 21 points for the season.

Talbot's progressBacklash from Max Talbot's offseason shoulder surgery is what prompted Bylsma to make Talbot a healthy scratch Tuesday.

Talbot is fully recovered, but he missed training camp and the first 22 games of the season. He played in 12 games in row after coming back, with one goal and two assists, before sitting out Tuesday.

"I don't think it's fair to expect he's going to be at the level that he was," Bylsma said. "Speaking from similar circumstances, other players, my career, it's difficult getting [to peak performance] in the middle of the season. There are different levels of competition, and training camp is one. It's a huge step to the regular season. And then as the season goes along, it's another step up. And then in the playoffs, it gets ramped up another level."

Bylsma said Talbot, the two-goal hero of the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 7 win against Detroit in June, can still improve his skating, physical play and timing.

"That's what Max has been dealing with," Bylsma said. "He's worked really hard. It's part of the process. He's got to keep getting better at those aspects and keep getting his game to a higher level.""