PREVIEW (8:45 AM)
As the Philadelphia Flyers conclude a six-game homestand before embarking on a Western Canada road trip, the team will look to extend its 13-game winning streak against the New York Islanders today at the Wachovia Center. In the crowded Eastern Conference standings, the Flyers are seventh and the Islanders are 13th, even though the clubs are only one point apart. In other words, the Flyers have put themselves in a position where they figure to spend the rest of the regular season battling to simply reach the postseason.
With the top two forward lines struggling, Peter Laviolette juggled his lines at practice, taking Scott Hartnell off the Jeff Carter line. Among the players who absolutely need to get going in a hurry are Simon Gagne (one goal in his last 13 games), Mike Richards (one in his last nine) and Danny Briere (one in 10). Ray Emery will get the start in goal.
FLYERS LINES (subject to change)
Powe - Carter - Briere
Gagne - Richards - Hartnell
JVR - Giroux - Asham
Carcillo - Betts - Laperriere
Carle - Pronger
Coburn - Timonen
Tollefsen - Bartulis
Emery
[Leighton]
*****
Of the aforementioned players, there is reason to be the most concerned about Gagne. He still lacks his former skating burst and has zero offensive confidence right now. His hat trick game against the Rangers on December 30 is his only multi-goal game of the season, and he has only found the net in four of 28 games. Simon has basically been a (much) higher-paid and slower skating version of Mika Pyorala, minus the versatility to move around the lineup.
If Gagne has truly recovered from his hernia surgeries (which I doubt), he needs to elevate his game considerably. If he isn't healthy, he needs to be sitting out, because he isn't helping the club very much right now. Gagne has one point in his last seven games, with no reduction in his ice time.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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