Briere lays a big hit on … teammate Nodl

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NEW YORK -- It was probably the biggest hit Danny Briere has laid on anyone this season.

Unfortunately, he laid it on teammate Andreas Nodl in an accidental blind collision early in Saturdays 2-0 loss to the Rangers (see story) at Madison Square Garden.

Nodl left the game, came back, then took just two shifts in the second period, before retiring for the afternoon with an upper body injury.

I looked at the replay after the first period, Briere said. He never saw me. He was trying to get the puck to throw it back in. He probably felt someone was coming and tried to get out of the way.
When I was coming, I was coming with a lot of speed. I wanted to shield the puck from the defenseman and get the outside lane. I was coming with lots of speed and he tried to get out of the way.

Didnt happen. They hit square-on.

Briere admitted he was unaware that he had knocked Nodl out of the game.

Was that from my hit? he asked.

I got the wind knocked out of me, too. I had no clue that was the reason why Nodl never finished the game. I thought it was something else. Just what we need these days.

Indeed, the Flyers are already missing Jaromir Jagr, Chris Pronger, James van Riemsdyk, Andreas Lilja, Erik Gustafsson ... you get the idea.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

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