Flyers to face Bolts, much-maligned trap

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The first move is Guy Bouchers, including potentially the one where the Tampa Bay coach instructs his team not to move at all.

Last time the Flyers went to Tampa, on Nov. 9, Peter Laviolette responded to a 1-3-1 trap that was supposed to have disappeared with the lockout by pulling the Flyers back in their end. It created the worst hockey period ever played, saved from being the worst game ever played only by the Flyers getting ahead 1-0 on a power-play goal.

The Lightning came back to win 2-1 in overtime but after only about as many chances per side as Laviolette made friends in Hillsborough County in Florida. On Monday, Jaromir Jagr said he is packing earplugs for Pittsburgh Thursday night. But having never said he wanted to play in Tampa, it should leave that pair available for Laviolette to borrow in Tampa, should he decide to stand again against tedium.

Whatever we need to do to be successful, Laviolette said Monday. We used a lot of quick ups in our building (a 5-2 Flyers win over the Lightning on Dec. 10) but thats a different challenge than their building.

Well see how the game presents and see how they play. I dont really like talking about it in the media so they can read about what were going to do.

Laviolette says he never heard from the league about his obvious attempt to shame another team but added: We dont think its great hockey to watch but in the end we want to do whats best for our team.

As you know, thats not really typical. We skate, we forecheck. We want to do what we need to do to get points.

The rate at which the Flyers were accumulating them has slowed (1-2-1 in the last four) a wake-up call that should alleviate concern about a trap game, even against a team that traps.

Still, with the Flyers only six days from the absurdly-hyped Winter ClassicMaybe it should be 10 points for that game but its only two, reminded Jagrthe final two contests of their five-game trip fortunately takes them two places where history should make it hard for them to doze, even if thats the struggling opponents game plan at the first stop.

Afterall, Laviolette and Jagr, are coming to town with a team that is 13-4-2 on the road even after playing only three December games at home.

The month has not been friendly to us, Laviolette said. In saying that, if you want to pull a positive, the hype of the Winter Classic and people coming in for the holidays, being on the road eliminates all that, not such a bad thing if you can win games.

I think we have done a pretty good job of that. We have had a good December despite a lot of adversity for our group. I think we need to finish strong but to this point it has been impressive. We have been able to win a lot of games and stay at the top of the conference.

Danny Briere, who missed Friday nights 4-2 loss at Madison Square Garden with a swollen pinkie, is good to go in Tampa Bay, and Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn, both going full bore in practice while recovering from concussions, are close to returning, perhaps even as early as Tuesday night, too. GM Paul Holmgren listed all three as day-to-day.

They both look good, said Laviolette. For that matter Gus defenseman Erik Gustafsson, broken wrist) has good jump. You get people back, its a good feeling throughout the locker room.

Indeed Jagr has friends there, more than he has in Pittsburgh, which booed him viciously after he got traded away and then decided his initial expression of interest in coming back somehow had become a moral obligation.

I just dont understand why people can be so mad about a 40-year old guy who cant even play anymore, he joked yesterday. I just dont get it.

Ten years ago when I was traded to Washington, when I played my first game back in Pittsburgh it was kind of crazy. Very loud and it wasnt very nice.

I think this time is going to be worse. But what can you do? Like I say, I am going to have the earplugs.

And Laviolette is welcome to use them first.

Do they hate him? smiled the coach. Well, then the heat will be off me quick.

Jay Greenberg covered the Flyers for 14 years for the Daily News and Evening Bulletin. His history of the Flyers, Full Spectrum, was published in 1996. He can be reached at jayg616@aol.com.

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