FLYERS REPORT

(All statistics through Sunday.)

Coach John Stevens on the Flyers' good and bad efforts, usually in succession: "There are just too many teams out there ready to pass you by . . . too many teams that are in striking distance. The league is too good not to bring your best every night."

0

Victories by the Flyers in their last five home games.

5

Consecutive games in which Mike Richards has recorded a point.

6

Flyers home games the rest of December.

10

Face-offs won by the Flyers in the defensive zone in 23 chances against the Stars on Saturday (43 percent).

19

Flyers shots against Dallas on Saturday.

Blackhawks forward Adam Burish has played in 26 games this season without tallying a point.

Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo's streak ended at 210 minutes, 34 seconds Sunday in a 2-1 loss to the Wild.

The Blues' Keith Tkachuk played in his 1,000th career game Saturday against the Blackhawks.

The Flyers play at Colorado on Friday night. It will be the last time this season they play outside the Eastern time zone - and the season isn't even half over.

The hapless Maple Leafs have two successive victories for the first time since Oct. 27.

The Flames have lost 10 games on home ice. They lost 11 at home all last season.

Stars forward Krys Barch once worked in a slaughterhouse, on the execution floor.

In 1988, Flyers goalie Mark Laforest recorded two assists in the opening period to help defeat the Devils, 6-2, at the Spectrum. Laforest became the first Flyers goalie to notch two assists in one period.

Stars co-general manager Brett Hull on Riley Cote, whose high elbow to the head of Matt Niskanen got Cote ejected and suspended for three games: "It's the last thing this game needs. He's a young kid playing in his 20th or something game. It happens in the game. Does it make the guy a bad guy? I don't think so. But if you do something stupid, you're going to pay for it, and I'm sure that will come back to haunt him."

The Flyers visit the Wild tomorrow night and the Avalanche on Friday night.

Was Scott Hartnell's hit on Andrew Alberts worse than Scott Parker's hit on Dion Phaneuf? Was Phaneuf's blind-side hit on Jiri Hudler worse than either of them? The two other hits were far worse than Hartnell's. Look around the NHL on any given night and there are dangerous hits. Yet the last we checked, only the Flyers have had players suspended. This is not to defend the Flyers. They have earned their suspensions. The point is, NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell promised justice across the board, and so far it has been justice only in Philadelphia. The NHL has to get tougher on head shots everywhere - not just here.

Plus/Minus is a look at the last week's games and an evaluation of points earned based on expectations and reality.

Nov. 26 vs. Bruins

This 6-3 loss was another ugly night of chippy play. This time, Scott Hartnell hit a kneeling Andrew Alberts in the head, causing him to strike the boards and glass and igniting the Patrice Bergeron comparison of a month ago in Boston. The Flyers came out flat and got dusted after a big road win.

MINUS-2.

Wednesday at Hurricanes

A 3-1 victory left the Flyers 3-0 against Carolina this season. Defenseman Derian Hatcher actually scored a goal. The penalty-killing and power play worked well, while goalie Martin Biron was sharp with 40 saves.

PLUS-2.

Saturday vs. Stars

The 4-1 loss was a good example of looking good one night and bad the next. After scoring in the opening minute, the Flyers kicked back and took the rest of the night off against a team playing back-to-back games. Coach John Stevens voiced concern about the "lack of ownership" among the players.

MINUS-2.

For the week:

MINUS-2.

For the season:

PLUS-4.

The Flyers have 30 points. They should have 26.