Flyers coach John Stevens on his team's six-game losing skid heading into the Christmas break:

"We are going to have to deal with it. . . . We have to come and play hard for 60 minutes every single night coming back from Christmas, because we put ourselves in a hole here that we have to climb out of."

Chicago's Patrick Kane leads all rookies with a 67 percent face-off percentage.

The Flyers are 6-8

Flyers are 5-15 since the tiebreaker came into the league.

Jason Arnott played his 100th game as a Nashville Predator this past Saturday against the L.A. Kings.

Vancouver goalie Robero Luongo has allowed just eight goals on 263 shots over his last nine games (7-1-1).

In 15 road games this season, the Chicago Blackhawks have allowed just five goals in 68 shorthanded situations; the Blackhawks have scored seven shorthanded goals.

Santa Coatsey bears a strange resemblance to Steve Coates on the big screen at the Wac. Then again, it could be Shawn Tilger in drag.

The Rangers' Scott Gomez has a nine-game point streak.

Riley Cote spent more time in the penalty box last Friday at Buffalo (5:00) than on the ice (two shifts lasting a total of 30 seconds).

In their inaugural season of 1967, the Flyers beat the Rangers, 3-1, at the Spectrum before 9,456 fans. Bernie Parent got the victory.

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff on sweeping a home-and-home set against the Flyers before the Christmas break: "Two really good skating teams. A lot of emotion, that was just good hockey. There was a lot of embellishing, lot of goading players in. Some of the penalties were penalties. There could have been more. There could have been less."

The Flyers host Toronto on Thursday, then head to Florida for back-to-back weekend games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Panthers.

Paul Kelly, the new boss of the NHL Players' Association, said last week he wanted to see a more uniform, standard code of supplementary discipline coming out of the league office. No one is arguing the Flyers have gotten what they deserved this season. Problem is, it's looking more and more as if they were punished because of past reputation. Latest proof: The Islanders' Chris Simon more or less slew-foots Pittsburgh's Jarku Ruuttu, stomps on his foot with his skate, and gets a 30-game suspension last week. Buffalo's Maxim Afinogenov slew-foots Scottie Upshall, stomps on his foot, and none of the four officials on the ice sees it. None. Where's the "standard" of discipline?

Plus-Minus is a look at last week's games and an evaluation of points earned.

Last Tuesday vs. Phoenix

The Flyers drop their third straight at home (3-2) as the Coyotes come in with a two-game winning streak and seem to have more energy, start to finish. Flyers conduct a players-only, 15-minute team meeting after the game. Same old, same old. Lack of initiative on Flyers' part to make something happen at home.

MINUS 2.

Friday at Buffalo

Danny Briere and Marty Biron make their long-awaited return to Buffalo. The Flyers play a good game, as Biron is outstanding, but the Sabres manhandle them with rough hits and no retaliation by the Flyers, who blow a late lead and lose, 3-2.

EVEN

.

Saturday vs. Buffalo

Return engagement at the Wac sends the Flyers into the Christmas break with a six-game losing skid. Flyers again blow a one-goal lead in the third period. Worse, the power play fails to even challenge during a four-minute advantage at end of regulation and fails to score in overtime.

MINUS 1

.

For the week:

MINUS 3

For the season:

PLUS 2.

The Flyers have 36 points; they should have 34 points.

-5

Danny Briere's +/- in his last 5 games.

5

One-goal losses in the Flyers' last six games.

8

Games in succession the Flyers have scored a power-play goal.

9

How many spots the Flyers have dropped in the Eastern Conference standings since Nov. 28 (they were second overall; now they are 11th).

11

Obstruction calls against Kimmo Timonen this season.

15

Different line combinations involving Sami Kapanen this season.

20

Games Simon Gagne has missed recovering from a concussion.