Flyers' Briere gets stitches for cut below right eye

CHICAGO - It wasn't as gruesome as the shot Ian Laperriere took to the face in Game 5 against New Jersey in the first round, but it was pretty bloody.

Danny Briere was high-sticked in the face, just below his right eye, by Duncan Keith after the two lined up next to each other for a faceoff in Chicago's zone with under 10 minutes to play in the third period.

Much to the chagrin of irate Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, there was no call on the play - despite a linesman's willingness to make a case to either of the two referees.

"Yeah, I was [disappointed]," Laviolette said after the game. "It's a penalty, possibly a major."

With blood dripping on the ice as he made his way to the bench, Briere received quick medical treatment to stop the bleeding and was back on the ice just 32 seconds of game time later with the help of a TV timeout.

He was even on the ice when Ville Leino fed Simon Gagne for the Flyers' fourth goal with 2:36 left.

Briere was unavailable to talk to the media after the game but received multiple stitches to completely close the wound, and reportedly had swelling around his eye.

His status for Wednesday's Game 6 was unknown after the game.

He will be re-evaluated by a doctor today in Philadelphia.

Both Danny Briere and Chris Pronger, in addition to being in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP, are within striking distance of Flyers' franchise playoff records.

Pronger is one point away from tying the Flyers' record for points by a defenseman in a playoff season. He has posted 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), one shy of Doug Crossman's 18 points in 26 games in the Flyers' Stanley Cup final loss to Edmonton. Pronger leads all defensemen in scoring.

Briere, who had two assists last night, is second to Chicago's Jonathan Toews in leaguewide playoff scoring. He is one point from tying the Flyers' playoff record for points in a postseason. Brian Propp set that mark in 1987 with 28 points. Briere already netted seven points in the first four games of the Stanley Cup final.

Ville Leino, who had three assists last night, shattered two Flyers records in Game 4: rookie goals and points in a postseason.

The Flyers have scored at least one goal in each of the first five games of the series . . . In the previous 20 Stanley Cup final series tied 2-2, the team winning Game 5 has gone on to win the Stanley Cup 14 times . . . In a playoff series where a team has lost the first two games and won the next two, that team has lost Game 5 all nine times . . . Michael Jordan, actor Jeremy Piven (Ari Gold from HBO's "Entourage"), actor Vince Vaughn and former White Sox great Frank Thomas were all spotted at last night's game.