The Flyers held a rather laid-back practice yesterday at the SkateZone in Voorhees, the day after defeating the Vancouver Canucks, 5-4, in the home opener. Today's session figures to be more up-tempo as the team prepares for a meeting with the Los Angeles Kings.
Following are some odds and ends from a team that has currently has every reason to feel good about itself:
* The entire team practiced per normal, with the exception of Chris Pronger, who had a maintenance day. Ilya Bryzgalov also did not appear on the ice, as he chose to do an off-ice workout instead.
* Danny Briere had some interesting comments about all the penalties in the previous game. I asked him what a team's mentality is when it gets a series of early power plays, knowing that the situation is likely to be reversed later in the game.
"We knew right away the penalties were going to get evened out," said Briere. "In the third period, when they called the third penalty on us, I thought maybe it was over but then there was another one and another right after that. It gets a little frustrating when the game starts getting called that way. At the same time, we can't put ourselves in that position. Some of those were undisciplined penalties.
"In terms of getting a lot of power plays early, it's something where you know you have to take advantage. We did a good job of that [with two power play goals], and that definitely helped us win the game. Sometimes it's not such a great thing to have too much special teams, even if it's on the power play. You want to get into a rhythm with the lines rolling [at five-on-five] and that's hard to do when there a lot of whistles. But there are going to be games like that."
* Briere and several others were asked about the return of Mike Richards (plus Simon Gagne and Justin Williams) to Philadelphia and Wayne Simmonds first game against his former LA team.
“You go back and you want to prove that they made a mistake,” said Briere. “I think every competitive hockey player — and we all know Mike is — plays with a little bit of an edge when you’re back in that situation."
Asked the same question by another reporter, he added, "I've got to say that the first game against your former team always means a little more, especially when it's in their building. I remember how I felt when I played against Buffalo and Phoenix the first time, and I'm sure that's what Mike will be feeling. I'm sure Wayne [Simmonds] will, too, for us, but it's a little different when you are in the other building. It's always a little special to go into Buffalo because I have so many friends there, but after awhile the game is pretty much like any other one."
* Peter Laviolette was asked how he thought the Flyers crowd would react to Richards when he took to the ice for the first time. The coach looked like he wanted to say "That's the least of my concerns about Saturday" but instead gave the diplomatic answer about how Richards had meant a lot to the team, and he's sure most fans will show appreciation for that.
* Jaromir Jagr was being interviewed by a Sports Illustrated writer for an upcoming feature article. As a result, the crew of Czech reporters and others either had to catch Jagr afterwards or else wait for another day. Contrary to his prima donna image, Jagr is very approachable (especially on non-game days) and friendly.
I was originally going to interview Jagr about juggling his NHL career and the business of being the new majority owner of a pro team in the Czech Republic (HC Kladno). Sami Kapanen (owner of KalPa Kuopio in Finland) always performed those dual duties almost seamlessly, creating a schedule where he could set aside some time to tend to business and hockey matters related to his European team.
That interview is going to have to wait for another day, as I really didn't want to take up any more of his time. Even so, I couldn't help but ask him about Kladno's game the other day, in which Jagr's old buddy and Penguins teammate, Petr Nedved, scored two goals for the Liberec White Tigers against Jagr's club.
"Ah, he's too old," Jagr said with a grin.
Nedved, who will turn 40 on Dec. 9, is two months older than Jagr.
* Zac Rinaldo acknowledged that he cannot afford to take penalties like the roughing minor he was assessed with in the third period of the one-goal game against Vancouver.
* Without Bryzgalov on the ice yesterday, the Flyers used a local former semi-pro goalie named P.J. Diana as a stand-in at practice. Philly Sports Daily's Dave Isaac
wrote a profile article on him. The 38-year-old Diana is buddies with equipment manager Derek "Son of Sudsy" Settlemyre.
Although he is roughly the height of Darren Pang, Diana was hard to miss on the ice with his canary yellow pads and mask (couldn't catch the design) that prominently featured the color green. Up in the pressbox overlooking the rink, Tim Panaccio dubbed Diana "the Green Hornet."
Diana stopped Jody Shelley on a breakaway. Laugh if you want about how that's not saying anything, but that's still an NHL player who was a 25-goal scorer at the major junior level. In general, though, the Flyers shooters took it easy on him.
The running joke after practice, however, was that it was a good thing that Pronger wasn't on the ice, because he certainly won't have taken it lightly.
"Prongs would have shot harder, maybe tried to ring a few off the mask," said Shelley.
* With no Pronger on the ice, Matt Walker moved into the regular defense pairings. Shelley also wore a defense jersey and did a few 3-on-2s in a defenseman's role.
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