In yet another pre-playoff push game, the Flyers head down to DC to face the Washington Capitals.
Despite a quick dose of that demon flu, Jeff Carter will play tonight. Unfortunately, Kimmo Timonen will not play, struck down by that same persistent bug. What is certain, and telling, is that Antero Niittymaki will start in goal. Martin Biron is penciled in for tomorrow night at home against Los Angeles.
With the Rangers in a bit of turmoil after the coaching change, and the Devils being idle, this is a HUGE game in the division and conference standings. It's one the Flyers a) can't afford to lose, and b) can't afford not to put forth a gut-busting effort, manpower shortage or not.
This is not to say that anything special and/or unexpected will happen. I'm actually predicting a win, because the bad taste left over from Saturday's shocking loss has to put this team into another gear. All three games this week, Friday at home against Montreal inclusive, can be wins. They all should include at least one point in each, though a regulation setback to the Caps (who lead the Southeast) is understandable.
Also, according to the Flyers site, Danny Briere is targeting Friday's contest for his return. This is good news on all fronts.
It means the club finally gets back their best playmaker and most experienced playoff scorer. There is also three bona-fide lines that are a threat to score against and punish the opposition. It means the club gets a little less than one week to sort out their salary cap issues and three games to decide what additional pieces of the puzzle need to be acquired.
With Briere added, maybe the lines look like this:
Gagne-Briere-Knuble
Carter-Richards-Hartnell
Lupul-Upshall-Giroux
Metropolit-Asham-Powe/Kalinski/Gratton
Pretty solid all around, eh?
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