Flyers encouraged by energy at morning skate

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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Posted: 12:30 p.m.

By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com

It was a long time ago, but not so long that Chris Pronger and Sean ODonnell dont remember.

We were 4-12-2 and I had never gone through something like that, Pronger recalled.

It was the 2006-07 season. The Ducks were in the throes of a severe winning drought. Between Dec. 29, 2006 and Feb. 7, 2007, the team went 5-11-2.

Yet the Ducks pulled out of it. And won the Stanley Cup.

I dont remember exactly when it happened, but I do remember we had lots of meetings, ODonnell recalled. And were in a tough spot right now here. Weve lost a couple in a row which were close games.

But there was no mistake bout the Rangers game. They wanted it morethey deserved everything they got.

Tonight begins anew for the Flyers against the Edmonton Oilers as they try to snap a four-game losing skidsix losses in their last eightthat has seen their double-digit lead on the Eastern Conference shrink to two points as the No. 1 seed.

It's never a bad thing to go through adversity to test yourself and see the character of a team, Pronger said. June is a long way off from right now and you forget what it took to get there. We have to get that hunger and drive back for us to be successful. This is a test of our character.

At the end of the day, theres a right way and a wrong way for us to play the game. The structure that Peter Laviolette and the coaching staff have put into place, weve proven we know how to do it.

Its up to us to go out and execute and perform to that level. Teams go through ups and downs, and we havent really had too many extended or prolonged parts of the season like this.

If pregame skates mean anything, the Flyers seemed upbeat on Tuesday and talked about how they need to come at the Oilers with a little anger, and maybe that will produce a little confidence to help their offense get going.

Danny Briere could use a goal; hes been scoreless in eight straight games.

The break was good for everybody to get away from the rink for a day and come back energized, Briere said. Hopefully, put this bad stretch behind us and move on.

Confidence shouldnt be too far out. Theres a reason why were first. It wasnt a fluke were first in the conference.Its still there. Every team goes through bad stretches. We have to put a stop to it. It makes things look worse because of the way we lost the last game.

That was 7-0 to the Rangers in New York. Jeff Carter didnt play because of the flu, but hes back in the lineup for tonights game.

We havent played as well as we can play and I think its up in our head, Kimmo Timonen said. Ive been in this league long enough to know this happens. Every team goes through it at some point in the year and this is our time. All you can do is go out, work hard and forget about what happened a few days ago.

Laviolette said he was encouraged by the fact his team had energy at the skate, something it was lacking during Sundays debacle in New York.

The pregame skate was good, I called the league to see if we could get the points off the skate and they said no, Laviolette joked. We actually got to play the game tonight. Thats the most important thing. Well be ready.

An Edmonton writer asked Pronger if the Flyers still can recall how far they came to get into the playoffs last season and use that now to propel them forward.

Its what you do with that knowledge that counts, Pronger replied.
Loose pucks
Sergei Bobrovsky is in goal.Based on the skate, tonights healthy scratches should be Andreas Nodl and Nikolay Zherdev. That means Dan Carcillo is back in the lineup.

Related: Flyer & Ice: Flyers-Oilers game notesBuy Flyers gear

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net.

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