Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"An unlikely duo helped the Flyers successfully start their grueling five-game road trip last night. Backup goalie Brian Boucher made 37 saves in his second start of the season, and Mika Pyorala scored his first NHL goal as the Flyers rallied past the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, at the Staples Center. Mike Richards and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Flyers, who have won seven of their last eight games. Van Riemsdyk, the rookie left winger who has at least a point in 12 of his first 15 games, gathered a rebound of Braydon Coburn's shot that caromed off the backboards and backhanded the puck into the net on the power play, giving the Flyers a 3-1 lead with 18 minutes, 13 seconds left. The ..."

Flyers face friend in L.A.'s Jones

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November 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Flyers coach John Stevens says he will always have "a soft spot in my heart" for Randy Jones. Stevens, who coached Jones with the Flyers and with the Phantoms when they won the AHL title, was disappointed when the Los Angeles Kings claimed the 28-year-old defenseman on reentry waivers on Oct. 29. He was claimed because Kings coach Terry Murray also has a soft sport for Jones, having coached him when he was a Flyers assistant. "To have an opportunity to get him back was a no-brainer because I know how he can play," Murray said before the Kings hosted the Flyers last night. "He's an NHL defenseman. I know that." "I was happy it happened and happy to be here," Jones said. Entering last night, ..."

Boucher bounces back for Flyers in win over Kings

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November 19

Philadelphia Daily News

"The cliché says it's not how you start, but how you finish. That's a good thing for Brian Boucher. Boucher, making just his second start of the season and his first since Oct. 25, had a rough first period but rallied to make 37 saves and lead the Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings last night in the first game of a five-game road trip. Jarret Stoll's weak wrister from the boards on Boucher's short side found its way through his five-hole to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead with 5 minutes remaining in the first period. "I don't know what the heck happened," Boucher said. "I've had a couple weird ones this year. But I was determined that wasn't going to be a big factor in the rest ..."

Kings show what they are missing in 3-2 loss to Philadelphia

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November 19

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"Anyone who has followed the Kings for more than a few seasons is conditioned to wait for the next shoe -- or skate -- toduring even the most prosperous of times. No matter how many good things happen, an injury or slump always seems to come along to delay their progress and dash fans' hopes yet again. There has been more prosperity this season than most in recent memory, but it's worth wondering how long that will last now that left wing Ryan Smyth is projected to be out of the lineup for as long as a month after suffering an upper-body injury Monday. The Kings' first full game without Smyth, the fearless, experienced forward who did so much to galvanize linemate Anze Kopitar this season, ..."

Flyers brace for a busy stretch

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November 18

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers start a four-game Western swing in Los Angeles tonight and continue the most grueling part of their odd early-season schedule. How odd? Well, they played one game in an 11-day stretch, and they have had at least three or four days between games in five straight weeks. It all changes this week. Tonight, the Flyers (11-5-1) face Terry Murray's improved Los Angeles Kings (13-7-2), the first of four games in six nights. They are in the middle of a stretch in which they play 10 games over a 17-night span. The Flyers, who have won six of their last seven, aren't complaining. Indeed, they prefer playing games in bunches and feel their depth - they are getting production from all four ..."

Scoring first has made difference for surging Flyers

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November 18

Philadelphia Daily News

"No team in the NHL has played fewer road games than the Flyers, who face off against the Los Angeles Kings tonight in just their sixth road test of the season. On Monday night, the Flyers beat the league's best road team and halted the Devils from becoming just the second team to open a season with 10 consecutive road wins. Why is that? The Flyers beat the Devils at their own game, by jumping on the opposition early. In their first 17 games, the Flyers have scored the game's first goal 14 times. In their last seven games - a run that includes six wins - the Flyers have outscored their opponents 7-1 in the first period. That has led to a 17-6 advantage through the first two periods in that ..."

Health primary as Flyers begin five-game road trip

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November 18

Camden Courier-Post

"The Flyers did not have much time to bask in the satisfaction of their streak-busting 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils Monday night. Shortly after the game they boarded a flight to Los Angeles, where they'll begin a five-game road trip that takes them to San Jose, Phoenix, Colorado and Long Island before returning home for a Black Friday matinee against the Sabres. The Flyers practiced at 5 p.m. EST Tuesday, with Phantoms callup David Laliberte replacing veteran right wing Arron Asham. They begin their road tip with a 10:30 game tonight at the Staples Center. Asham left Monday night's game early in the second period with a strained left oblique muscle (near his ribcage). Flyers general ..."

Flyers to Devils: No record in our house

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November 17

Philadelphia Daily News

"NOT TOO LONG ago, James van Riemsdyk was playing street hockey in his driveway in Middletown, N.J. Like any kid playing with his two younger brothers, van Riemsdyk can remember "scoring" against all of the NHL's biggest names. Frequently, the target was New Jersey Devils netminder Martin Brodeur - who could go down as the best goalie to ever play the game by the time his career is over.Last night, van Riemsdyk made that dream a reality.Van Riemsdyk's third-period tally, in which he received a gift-wrapped New Jersey turnover in the slot and blindly threw it toward the net on a turnaround shot, looked like an insurance goal at the time. It ended up being the game-winner as the Flyers held ..."

Flyers put end to Devils' schemes

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November 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The New Jersey Devils came to the Wachovia Center last night with an eight-game winning streak and a chance to make NHL history with their 10th consecutive road victory to start the season."That's scary," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said.Flyers coach John Stevens called it a "playoff-like atmosphere." James van Riemsdyk said the team talked about ending the streaks before the game. And the Flyers did just that.They scored their second victory in as many chances against the Atlantic Division-leading Devils, a 3-2 win that was not as close as the final score indicated.The Devils scored a goal with 0.6 seconds left after a scrum in front of the net. Flyers goalie Ray Emery, who made ..."

Flyers fight past Devils, 3-2

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November 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"A lot had changed since the Flyers crushed the New Jersey Devils by three goals in the second game of the season. The Flyers won more games than they lost, had plenty of days off, and entered tonight's contest in fourth place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils? They were only off to the second-greatest road winning streak to start an NHL season and looking to tie the record with a trip to the Wachovia Center. But just like the season began, the Flyers scored a statement victory against their rivals to the north. The Flyers snapped New Jersey's nine-game road winning streak with a 3-2 victory. Ray Emery stopped 33 shots - only eight in the third as the Flyers' defense prevented the Devils ..."

Injured Asham won't make trip

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November 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers will be without winger Arron Asham for their West Coast trip.Asham will be sidelined for at least 10 days with a strained muscle in his left side, suffered during the Flyers' 3-2 win over New Jersey last night, general manager Paul Holmgren said."He'll stay back and do his rehab here," Holmgren said.He said the team would recall David Laliberte from the AHL's Phantoms.Before Asham was injured, he assisted on the game's first goal by Darroll Powe. Asham has five points this season.Inducting the Hammer Introduced as the man "forever known as the original Broad Street Bully," Dave Schultz became the 20th inductee into the Flyers' Hall of Fame."I left here 33 years ago, and I'm ..."

Third straight win is icing on the cake for Sabres

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November 16

Buffalo News

"Broken down into a three-game segment last week, the Buffalo Sabres were in good shape long before taking the ice Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers. They already had four points in the bag. The Sabres would gladly accept two wins every three games all season long, right? A loss to the Flyers hardly would have been devastating or signaled alarms given the factors involved. They were playing their third game in four nights. They were playing back-to-back games with travel from Buffalo to Philly in between. They were without Drew Stafford and summoned pipsqueak forward Tyler Ennis from Portland. Fair enough, but why not get greedy? Four points would have been satisfactory, but they ..."

Devils eye history vs. Flyers

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November 16

Camden Courier-Post

"The Flyers have been on the wrong end of NHL history before against the Devils, like when Martin Brodeur eclipsed Bernie Parent's record for the most wins in a single season. Tonight at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers will try to stop the Devils from tying another NHL mark -- most road victories to start a season. The Devils have won all nine of their road games this season and will attempt to make it 10 in a row, matching the mark set by the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres and the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs. The Detroit Red Wings own the NHL record for most consecutive road wins overall with 12 from March 1 through April 15, 2006. "It will be a good test," said Flyers coach John Stevens, who saw ..."

Devils here to challenge Flyers and records

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November 16

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers will try to prevent the surging New Jersey Devils from achieving a historic victory tonight at the Wachovia Center. With a win, the Devils would equal an NHL record with 10 straight road victories to start a season. The mark was set by the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres, who finished 53-22-7. "It's not something we want to talk about," said Flyers center Danny Briere, who was on that Sabres team, "but, yeah, we know what's going on. There's always that rivalry with them, and it shouldn't be hard to get pumped up for that game." Devils goalie Martin Brodeur is also chasing history. He needs one shutout to tie Terry Sawchuk's league record of 103. "We just know it's going to be a tough ..."

Lindros has Clarke's vote for Hall

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November 16

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Frank Seravalli

"The topic comes up around this time every year. Normally, Bob Clarke doesn't have much of an opinion on the next class to join him in the hallowed Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. It may surprise you, though, who Clarke is endorsing for next year's class. Clarke is emphatic that Eric Lindros, the player who undoubtedly caused him the most hardship during his 19-year managerial career with the Flyers, should be inducted in his first year of eligibility. Lindros retired from the NHL in November 2007 after a 49-game stint with the Dallas Stars, making him eligible for voting by the 18-man committee in Toronto for the Class of 2010. "I believe that Lindros should be in the Hall of Fame," Clarke ..."

Richards' hit now an example

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November 15

Camden Courier-Post

"Flyers captain Mike Richards has become the poster boy for the NHL's crackdown on blows to the head. Quite frankly, he doesn't like it. Richards went unsuspended for driving his shoulder into the head of Florida Panthers forward David Booth on Oct. 24, and several NHL general managers and players have pointed to the hit as the kind that needs to be taken out of hockey. Richards disagrees. "It's tough," he said before Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres. "I see a guy coming across center, and I have an obligation to my team to finish my check. I don't know. Maybe it's a good example, maybe it's a bad one. "When you play the game hard, things happen fast. You're talking about split ..."

Sabres snap Flyers' streak

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November 15

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers' offense, among the NHL's best this season, looked sluggish for 40 minutes tonight before awakening in an electric third period. It was too late. The Flyers huffed and puffed but couldn't overcome a 2-0 third-period deficit as they dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres in front of a sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center. "Playoff-like hockey, good intensity," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said after his team ended the Flyers' winning streak at five games. The Flyers, who averaged 4.6 goals a game during their winning streak, had more good scoring chances in the third period than in the first two periods combined. They outshot Buffalo by 15-5 in the final period, but ..."

Inside the Flyers: New line a happy home for Carcillo

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November 15

Philadelphia Inquirer

"That was the reaction of many Flyers fans shortly after the club acquired Carcillo in March for popular winger Scottie Upshall and a second-round draft pick in 2011. It turns out they were wrong. Oh, Carcillo still has a nasty streak, still is willing to stand up for his teammates andthe gloves. But the feisty left winger is slimmer, speedier, and a much more disciplined player than the one who led the NHL in penalty minutes the last two seasons. Carcillo, 24, has done a good job of avoiding the senseless away-from-the-play minor penalties. He also has combined with center Blair Betts and pugnacious right winger Ian Laperriere to give the Flyers a line that has become a part of the team's ..."

Power play ignites Flyers

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November 14

Camden Courier-Post

"There are lots of reasons why the Flyers have poked their heads out of the weeds of mediocrity and gone on a five-game win streak, starting on Halloween. The most obvious reason has been their success on the power play. Entering tonight's game against the 10-4-1 Buffalo Sabres, the Flyers have gone 6-for-19 on the man advantage (31.5 percent), boosting them to No. 1 in the NHL at 27.9 percent. So what's their secret? It starts with drawing penalties. Last year, the Flyers had 316 power-play opportunities while having to kill off 393 man advantages. It was the greatest power-play disparity in the NHL. This season, thanks to some disciplined play and an aggressive forecheck, the Flyers have ..."

Flyers staying with hot hand in goal

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November 14

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Flyers coach John Stevens wants to get backup goalie Brian Boucher some work, but . . . Ray Emery is riding a sizzling streak, and Stevens is reluctant to make a change. That's why Emery will get tonight's start against visiting Buffalo. Stevens had considered giving Boucher his second start of the season. "You look at the schedule, and certainly the streak's got something to do with it," a superstitious Stevens said after yesterday's practice in Voorhees. "You've got to weigh a lot of things, and we've got a lot of hockey coming up - certainly a lot of chances to get Boosh in," he said. "I'm not sure now is the right time. Ray is on a roll and he has been playing well." Emery has played ..."

Flyers' five-game win streak has been a team effort

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November 14

Philadelphia Daily News

"It would be easy to look at the Flyers' five-game win streak, in which they have outscored opponents by a 24-7 margin, and assume the offense has carried the team to a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division. The truth, though, is that the Flyers owe their run to a multitude of people and departments. For one, the Flyers' depth has picked up for the lack of scoring by their top two lines. While Jeff Carter leads the team with 17 points, 11 of those are assists. Captain Mike Richards (eight goals) and Carter account for just 14 of the Flyers' 57 goals. It's pretty shocking that one of the league's best offenses doesn't have a scorer among the NHL's top 25. Instead, they have gotten ..."

Emery, Flyers win big against Senators

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November 13

Ottawa Citizen

"Ray Emery closed another door on his colourful, and often notorious, past when he faced and defeated his former Ottawa Senator teammates here on Thursday night. Even if it didn't take much to beat them, it was one more psychological hurdle, one more step in Emery's rehabilitation, and it ended just the way he wanted. The Flyers embarrassed the Senators, who dematerialized in the third period as the Flyers scored three goals to break open a game that was still up for grabs after two. The questions might just now shift to the guy who has Emery's old job in Ottawa: Pascal Leclaire. He hasn't inspired much confidence recently, with the soft goals he's allowed, and didn't do anything to change ..."

It's all good for Emery

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November 13

Ottawa Sun

"The closest the Senators came to giving former teammate Ray Emery a knockout punch was when defenceman Chris Campoli knocked his mask off with a shot late in the third period. Emery was the one left standing after helping his Flyers to a 5-1 win. "As long as it hits the helmet, it's all right," said Emery after the game. "The boys played a very strong, solid defensive game And they buried their chances. I knew I just had to do my job. It is a good situation." The only shot that beat him was backhander by Ottawa's Mike Fisher on the power play to make it 2-1 in the second period. It's all good for Emery these days. While admitting facing his former teammates is significant, he said before ..."

Rayzor's got the edge

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November 13

Ottawa Sun

"On Soft Pretzel Night at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers twisted up the Senators and dined out on the holes. The result was a rough night for Ottawa goaltender Pascal Leclaire in the 5-1 loss and a win for former Senators goaltender Ray Emery, who had a relatively easy night against his former teammates. You can probably expect to see Brian Elliott in the Senators goal tomorrow afternoon when they host the Rangers. Penalties were again an issue as the Flyers got a pair of second-period power-play goals for a 2-1 lead and then blew it open in the third with a local touch to the onslaught as Gatineau's Daniel Briere sandwiched goals around one by Kanata's Darroll Powe to put the Flyers in ..."

History in the Atlantic?

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November 13

Camden Courier-Post

"Could history be in the making in the Atlantic Division? Since the NHL realigned its divisional format in 1998, no division has placed all five teams in the playoffs. It could happen this season. Entering Thursday night's action, the Penguins, Rangers, Devils and Flyers all held playoff positions, while the Islanders were in a three-way tie for the eighth in the conference. "It doesn't surprise me," said Flyers center Blair Betts, who spent the previous four seasons with the Rangers. "The Rangers, the Flyers, the Penguins and the Devils have had pretty strong teams over the past few years and the Islanders are a young, gritty team with a lot of hard workers, so I kind of expected that. In ..."

Emery stops old team

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November 13

Camden Courier-Post

"Ray Emery did not have to look great against the team that two seasons ago made him look bad. He just had to be better than the goalie standing 180 feet away from him, and he was. By a lot. In his first game against the Ottawa Senators since general manager Bryan Murray bought out the final two years of his contract, forcing him to play the 2008-09 season in Russia, Emery calmly steered aside 22 of 23 shots in the Flyers' lopsided 5-1 win Thursday night at the Wachovia Center. "Two good teams and a little personal story for myself," Emery said after improving his record to 10-3-1 this season. "We played an amazing defensive game and the boys were real mindful of that. I'm happy our team ..."

Flyers' power play is tops in the NHL

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November 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Balanced scoring and the addition of hard-shooting defenseman Chris Pronger have bolstered the Flyers' power play and made it the NHL's most successful unit. The Flyers have clicked on 19 of 68 power plays, a 27.9 percent rate. Mike Richards (four goals, four assists) leads the Flyers with eight power-play points, followed by Scott Hartnell (seven points), Jeff Carter (seven), and Pronger (seven). Claude Giroux and Kimmo Timonen have five power-play points apiece, and Matt Carle has four. "We have a luxury this year in that we have two really strong guys up top - Pronger on one unit and Timonen on the other - and we didn't have that before," coach John Stevens said before the power play ..."

Flyers rout Ottawa for fifth straight win

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November 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ray Emery defeated his former teammates, but the Flyers goalie was upstaged by two players who returned from injuries - Danny Briere and James van Riemsdyk - and combined for three goals in last night's 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. With 19,321 watching at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers registered their fifth consecutive win and scored two goals on their league-best power play. The winning streak matches their longest since last December. The Flyers, just as they had promised, did a good job protecting Emery in his first appearance against Ottawa. They allowed only 23 shots and few good chances, pulling away from a 2-1 lead with three unanswered goals in the final period - two by ..."

Flyers' Pronger named No. 1 'nastiest' defenseman

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November 13

Philadelphia Daily News

"CHRIS PRONGER isn't shy. Known as an in-your-face player, Pronger may be in your face in other ways soon. He will be featured in an upcoming Pepsi Max advertisement with Mike Richards in Maxim magazine. This week, Pronger was featured in a different magazine. His face was plastered on the cover of the The Hockey News' Nov. 16 issue, which focuses on the NHL's best defensemen. In the cover story, the News' panel of experts selected Pronger as the league's No. 1 "nastiest and most intimidating" defenseman, edging out Calgary's Dion Phaneuf. But that wasn't the only category that Pronger won. He also was listed as the "best corner man," for winning puck battles along the boards. Pronger also ..."

Emery, Briere lead Flyers over Ottawa for fifth straight win

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November 13

Philadelphia Daily News

"THE OTTAWA Senators were so focused on beating former teammate Ray Emery that they forgot about a player who hasn't figured into any of the Flyers' last four wins. In fact, Danny Briere hadn't played at all in the last 16 days with a lower quad injury in his right leg. Last night, Briere picked up where he left off with linemates Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk. He scored two third-period goals to take the pressure off Emery and help carry the Flyers to a 5-1 victory over Ottawa in a circus-type, overly hyped game at the Wachovia Center. It was the Flyers' fifth consecutive win. Emery, facing the Senators for the first time since he was run out of town and exiled to play in Russia in ..."

Shannon and Leclaire will play for Senators against Flyers

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November 12

Ottawa Citizen

"Ryan Shannon will be in and Jesse Winchester and Shean Donovan will sit as the Ottawa Senators take on Ray Emery and the Philadelphia Flyers here tonight. The Flyers, with 19 points, are one point ahead of the Senators. Pascal Leclaire will be in goal for the Senators as Emery prepares to face his former teammates."

Forsberg not ready for NHL return

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November 12

Camden Courier-Post

"The Flyers have expressed interest in bringing former captain Peter Forsberg back to Philadelphia, but it appears the 36-year-old Swede is not quite ready to commit himself to an NHL comeback. At least not yet. One day after Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren told reporters in Toronto he would entertain the idea of putting Forsberg back in orange and black, a report by the Canadian Website tsn.ca said Forsberg instructed his agent, Don Baizley, not to pursue contract talks with any NHL teams until he feels more comfortable skating. The Rangers, Flyers, Bruins and Canucks are among the teams that have expressed interest in Forsberg, who has not played a full NHL season since 2002-03. ..."

Emery changes tune, admits Ottawa game is big

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November 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Speaking to a Canadian TV interviewer who was at the Skate Zone in Voorhees yesterday, Flyers goalie Ray Emery conceded that facing his former team, Ottawa, was a very big deal for him. Earlier in the week, the once-scorned goalie - he was released by Ottawa after a series of on- and off-ice incidents - had downplayed tonight's matchup against the visiting Senators. "I definitely had this circled on my calendar," admitted Emery, who played in Russia last season because no NHL teams wanted him. "It's a good way to ease into things, and won't be as hectic as in Ottawa." Emery and his teammates will play in Ottawa on Jan. 3. The Flyers, winners of four straight, know how much tonight's game ..."

Spezza says Emery doing great with Flyers

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November 12

Philadelphia Daily News

"There are few players who know Ray Emery better than Ottawa sniper Jason Spezza. The Flyers are taking on the Senators tonight, Emery's former team, and Spezza was the first name Emery blurted out when mentioning the players he was looking forward to seeing. Emery was in Spezza's wedding party this summer and the two lived together for a year in Binghamton. They were often shuttling back and forth between the minors when their careers were just getting started, after being a part of the same draft class in 2001. Like most of the players who witnessed the Emery drama firsthand in Canada's capital city, Spezza thought that the traffic stops, tardiness and fighting at practice were overblown. ..."

Carcillo fighting the urge to fight

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November 11

Camden Courier-Post

"The last time the Flyers faced the Ottawa Senators, the evil, uncontrollable side of Dan Carcillo reared its ugly head. It was on April 4 in Ottawa and Carcillo was a one-man wrecking crew, first taking a boarding penalty for a hit on Filip Kuba, then taking on Jarkko Ruutu for an additional roughing minor. But as was often the case with Carcillo, he took it too far. When Jeff Carter was called for a questionable hooking penalty midway through the first period, Carcillo argued so vehemently to the referees he was slapped with an unsportsmanlike conduct, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. In two shifts, he had piled up 24 minutes in penalties. "I basically told him, "You can't ..."

Flyers may get Briere, van Riemsdyk back

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November 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Flyers center Jeff Carter may have injured line mates Danny Briere and James van Riemsdyk back for tomorrow's game against visiting Ottawa.Briere, who has missed the last four games - all wins - with a leg strain below his right quad, went through a full practice in Voorhees yesterday and said he felt no discomfort.Van Riemsdyk also participated in a full practice; the rookie left winger suffered a broken left pinkie in Saturday's 2-1 shoot-out win over St. Louis and missed the last half of the game. He had the finger, which was also cut and required more than 20 stitches, heavily taped yesterday.The Flyers are hopeful both will play tomorrow, but it depends on how they feel after today's ..."

Injured Flyers slowly returning

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November 11

Philadelphia Daily News

"For the last 3 weeks, the Flyers have been walking wounded.Yesterday, for the first time since Oct. 27, the Flyers finally had a full squad for practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. So full, in fact, that they may need to send a player or two back to Adirondack to make room for the healed.That's a good problem to have for a team that has lost 30 man-games to injury this season.Perhaps the most important piece in that equation is Danny Briere, who injured his right quad muscle (just above the knee) in that Oct. 27 game against Washington. Briere practiced with the team for the second day in a row and said the workout was encouraging."I felt pretty good," Briere said. "I was able to do all ..."

Flyers goalie shrugs

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November 10

Camden Courier-Post

"It has been nearly 18 months since Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray painted Ray Emery as a selfish and disruptive player who would need to change his lifestyle if he ever hoped to become a successful NHL goaltender. "I'm sure Ray will one day get his game turned around and get things in order and be a good goalie for someone," Murray said after Emery's disastrous 2007-08 season in Ottawa. "He didn't, in my opinion, commit to the team in the way that we think our players have to commit." Frustrated by Emery's late arrivals to practices and occasional feuds with teammates, Murray was so convinced his goalie needed a change of scenery he bought out the final two years of Emery's ..."

Flyers' Emery to face familiar foe

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November 10

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Flyers goalie Ray Emery will play his former team, the Ottawa Senators, on Thursday for the first time. The Senators released Emery in 2008 because of issues on and off the ice. He spent last season in Russia. "Having played there, you want to win maybe a bit more," Emery said of Ottawa after yesterday's practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. "But each game is equally important." The Senators are vastly different from what they were when Emery played for them, from 2002-03 to 2007-08. "I don't follow them that closely," he said. "I talk to a few guys there. I don't keep in touch with management or anything like that. It's just a team I used to play for." Thursday's game will be played at ..."

Emery won't place special meaning on meeting with old team Ottawa

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November 10

Philadelphia Daily News

"Ray Emery has been nothing short of a choirboy since he officially arrived in town 132 days ago. By all accounts, Emery has been a good teammate. He is a perfect fit in the Flyers' tight-knit dressing room. Emery hasn't had any run-ins with the law, as he did in Ottawa. Most importantly, he has won hockey games. Tomorrow - the day before he faces his old mates, the Senators - he will place a bet. It's for entertainment purposes only, a friendly wager among teammates. During the season, players are challenged to kitty up before games against a former team or when family is in town. It's not a Pete Rose bet, but a wager that if the Flyers win, Emery must pay an agreed-upon amount that goes ..."

Two Flyers day-to-day

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November 9

Camden Courier-Post

"Flyers rookie left wing James van Riemsdyk learned Saturday night what NHL goaltenders already know about Jeff Carter's wrist shot. It's hard and heavy. Van Riemsdyk was struck in the hand by a Carter shot on Saturday and was diagnosed with a "fleck' fracture of his left pinky finger on Sunday, according to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. Van Riemsdyk, who needed stitches to close a cut on his finger, will not practice today and is listed as day-to-day. The Flyers host Ottawa Thursday."

Hartnell helps net a win streak

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November 9

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Frank Seravalli

"It would not be a reach to say that the Flyers are a different team since their Oct. 27 loss to the Washington Capitals. It would be easy to look at their injury-ravaged roster - they have been without Simon Gagne, Danny Briere and Ryan Parent for stretches - and say that, just based on the lineup. There has been a noticeable difference in the last 10-plus days. Winning four games in a row will do that. But this isn't the same inconsistent, unconfident and unproven crew that skated through the month of October at a 6-4-1 clip. Let's not forget that we are only 14 games into an 82-game campaign. Perhaps, though, this team knew that months of .500 hockey wasn't going to cut it. The Flyers ..."

Two Flyers day-to-day

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November 9

Camden Courier-Post

"Flyers rookie left wing James van Riemsdyk learned Saturday night what NHL goaltenders already know about Jeff Carter's wrist shot. It's hard and heavy. Van Riemsdyk was struck in the hand by a Carter shot on Saturday and was diagnosed with a "fleck' fracture of his left pinky finger on Sunday, according to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. Van Riemsdyk, who needed stitches to close a cut on his finger, will not practice today and is listed as day-to-day. The Flyers host Ottawa Thursday. Holmgren said defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen suffered a mild concussion when he was checked hard into the boards Saturday night. He'll also sit out today's practice and is being listed as ..."

Flyers' defense stepping up

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November 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers were second in the NHL with an average of 3.57 goals per game entering yesterday's play, which overshadowed the main reason for their early-season success: a vastly improved defense. The idle Flyers were 9-4-1, a marked improvement from their 5-6-3 record at this time last season - and had shaved nearly a goal off last year's goals-against average through 14 games. Despite injuries that scrambled their third defensive pairing, the Flyers were ninth in the 30-team NHL with a goals-against average of 2.57. At the same point last season, they were allowing 3.36 goals per game. They are justifying general manager Paul Holmgren's off-season gambles - mortgaging the future for ..."

Flyers win shoot-out with Blues

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November 8

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers' injury list grew Saturday night. So did their winning streak. Winger Mika Pyorala scored the decisive goal in a shoot-out as the Flyers outlasted the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in a physical game in front of a sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center. Playing in his first NHL season, Pyorala, 28, has yet to score an official goal. That didn't make Saturday night's score any less gratifying. "I can count on one hand how many times," Pyorala said when asked about his shoot-out experience in Europe. "But I can't tell you how relieved I am. It wasn't a monkey on my back anymore, it was a gorilla. It started bothering me a little bit and I was thinking about it, but it's great to get that ..."

Pyorala wins for Flyers in shootout

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November 8

Camden Courier-Post

"Flyers coach John Stevens could have easily started backup goaltender Brian Boucher on Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues, and no one would have questioned him. After all, the Flyers were playing the back end of consecutive games, and starter Ray Emery already had started 12 of the club's first 13 games. But with the Flyers facing another four-day break in their schedule and Emery looking sharp the night before in Buffalo, Stevens decided on Emery. The 27-year-old netminder responded with another strong game, calmly turning aside 30 shots in 65 minutes and three more in a shootout, as the Flyers extended their winning streak to four games with a 2-1 win in front of a sellout crowd ..."

Flyers win shoot-out with Blues

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November 8

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers' injury list grew Saturday night.So did their winning streak.Winger Mika Pyorala scored the decisive goal in a shoot-out as the Flyers outlasted the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in a physical game in front of a sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center.Playing in his first NHL season, Pyorala, 28, has yet to score an official goal.That didn't make Saturday night's score any less gratifying."I can count on one hand how many times," Pyorala said when asked about his shoot-out experience in Europe. "But I can't tell you how relieved I am. It wasn't a monkey on my back anymore, it was a gorilla. It started bothering me a little bit and I was thinking about it, but it's great to get that out of ..."

3d, 4th lines lift Flyers to win

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November 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Getting surprising production from their third and fourth lines, the Flyers won their third straight last night, defeating the Buffalo Sabres, 5-2, at the HSBC Arena. The fourth line of Dan Carcillo, Blair Betts and Ian Laperriere was a combined plus-6 before Carcillo's empty-net goal iced it. Carcillo scored his first goal of the season, Betts set up numerous chances and was an effective penalty killer, and Laperriere chipped in with a pair of assists. Third-line winger Darroll Powe made it 4-1 with a goal early in the final period against a shaky Ryan Miller, who had looked like a Vezina Trophy candidate while building a 9-1-1 record before last night. James van Riemsdyk and Chris ..."

Carle battles flu but stays in the lineup

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November 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"A few hours before last night's game against Buffalo, Matt Carle's voice was hoarse, he sounded ultra-congested and looked pale - the effects of the flu. "I feel a lot better than I look," the Flyers defenseman said. But Carle, saying he was about 90 percent, was in the lineup last night against the Sabres. "The last couple of days have been kind of rough, but I'm fine," he said. "Obviously, missing two days of practice, it will be a little different, but this morning I went out [in practice], and my legs felt good." Carle took a plus-11 rating into last night, placing him first on the Flyers and tied for second in the NHL, behind Pittsburgh defenseman Alex Goligoski, who is plus-14. ..."

Fourth line carries Flyers to win over Sabres

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November 7

Philadelphia Daily News

"Waking up yesterday in Buffalo, Flyers coach John Stevens must have picked up the local newspaper and read the Sabres report. The Buffalo News touted the Sabres as one of the deepest teams in the NHL with their scattered scoring threat. A highly statistical approach, the report said that the Flyers' first two lines accounted for 86 percent of the team's points. That meant that the Flyers' other two lines contributed to only 14 percent of their 72 points. Last night, the Flyers showed why they - and not Buffalo - are one of the deepest teams in the Eastern Conference with a comprehensive 5-2 beating of the Sabres at a sold-out HSBC Arena. Dan Carcillo notched two goals, including an ..."

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