Short Shifts

(Short Shifts is a recurring feature where we analyze, summarize and ridicule…ize the coverage of the Flyers from across the internet. Enjoy.)

Lets wash that taste of Phillies failure out your mouth with some Flyers links.

* Well the Flyers have two important offensive players with injury problems. Wayne Fish [PhillyBurbs.com] lets us know that one of them, Simon Gagne, is seeking yet another opinion on his injured groin. Simon, no matter how many people you talk to, your groin is still going to be injured.

* Tim Panaccio [CSNPhilly.com] talks about the other injured offensive star, Danny Briere. Apparently he is not suffering from yet another groin pull, but rather a pull to a muscle in the inner thigh area. This isn’t as serious as a groin pull, though it will keep Briere out of tonight’s game against the Lightning.

* Speaking of injured players, which we were doing, Sam Carchidi [Philadelphia Inquirer] talks about the impressive return from injury that Blair Betts had on Saturday.

* Frank Seravalli [Philadelphia Daily News] has an article on the improved 5-on-5 play that the Flyers had in Saturday’s game.

* Sam Carchidi lets us know that former Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki will not start against the Flyers today.

* Still more talk about hitting in the NHL in the wake of the Mike Richards hit on David Booth. This time it’s Wayne Fish saying that he feels that the NHL needs to revise their definition of what is and what is not a legal hit. This storyline is something that is worth keeping an eye on. Especially as more and more former players like Keith Primeau take a public stand against those hits, even if it means going against former teammates.

* Ryan [Flyers Goal Scored By] talks about Phantoms captain Jared Ross acting the part in a recent game against the Syracuse Crunch.

* Ryan also talks about how James van Riemsdyk’s goal against the Hurricanes on Saturday helped to stop the beginnings of a rally from them. Pretty clutch goal all things considered.

* Jon [The Flying P blog] and Skeeter [Whiz Wit Flyers] both talk about Saturday’s game and preview today’s game.

* Chuck Gormley [Courier Post] just previews today’s game.