Flyers defenseman Timonen hopeful about returning to lineup tonight

BOSTON - Maybe this will be the last of the Flyers' flu.

After missing four games suffering from the virus that has rocked the Flyers since December, defenseman Kimmo Timonen will be back on the ice tonight against the Bruins.

That is, if he doesn't wake up this morning feeling badly again.

"I feel pretty good," Timonen said yesterday. "We'll see [today], but every day I've felt a little bit better so I think there's a pretty good chance I play."

In addition to having Timonen, the Flyers will not lose Simon Gagne. He was hit on the left hand by a slap shot Sunday in New Jersey but did not sustain an injury that will keep him out of the lineup.

Not having Timonen for the past four games has played havoc with the Flyers both on and off the ice. After losing Ossi Vaananen and Glen Metropolit to waivers to make room for the return of Danny Briere, the Flyers were playing with defenseman Nate Guenin and juggling roster moves. Both Lasse Kukkonen and Claude Giroux were assigned to the Phantoms to make the necessary salary-cap space for Briere.

Timonen plays the most minutes on the Flyers and quarterbacks the power play, which has been struggling recently even when he was there.

Against Boston, the Flyers will need to regain their power-play form if they hope to recover from Sunday's 3-0 loss to New Jersey in the Prudential Center.

Over the last 16 games, the Flyers have scored on only seven power plays out of 69 chances.

"We make things too complicated," Timonen said. "The power play is simple. Especially when it's working. You shoot the puck, go to the net, that kind of stuff.

"We have to stop trying to force things that are not there, passes going through the box, that kind of stuff. It doesn't work. We have to get back to the basics. Get the puck to the point or to the side, shoot the puck and crash the net. That's it."

Keeping to his word to have both Marty Biron and Antero Niittymaki playing through the last part of the season, coach John Stevens said Niittymaki will be in the net tonight.

Niittymaki doesn't need to be reminded that Boston, which is the conference leader in points, will be a formidable challenge. The Flyers, who have lost two in a row, will have to be focused on the Bruins, and not be distracted by tomorrow's trade deadline.

"I think it's a big game not because of the deadline or because we lost two games but because they are the first-place team and we want to see where we are and how we do against them," he said.

"They're a good team and they have some guys back now. They're going to be a good test for us and we want to do well. They have some people who are always looking for rebounds in front.

"They have two guys who can really shoot the puck from the point in [Zdeno] Chara and [Dennis] Wideman. I don't think they score a lot of really nice goals all the time.

"But they go to the net hard and look for rebounds. They have a skilled power play, too, with [Marc] Savard and those guys who pass the puck well. I don't think they shoot the puck a lot, but they play well defensively and try to create turnovers."

There was nothing new happening on the trade front for the Flyers, as of yesterday. They're looking to see what's available and what would work, but with their salary-cap situation, just getting Danny Briere back has caused a week of disruption.

"I think for coaches, your team here is your team and that's just the way you progress everyday,'' John Stevens said.

"But I think it's more [unsettling] for the players. I mean, I think this time of year is always unsettling for the players and their families. You just never know what's going to happen.

"So much is made of the deadline. The NHL is talking about having the biggest coverage they've ever had.

"I think hockey fans get excited to see what changes might be made, but it's not quite the same [for the team]. We've got a good group of players here and I think guys love to play in Philadelphia, and the thought of not being here, I think, is unsettling for these guys, so once that day comes and goes, I think it does settle the players down." *