Burish regrets cheap shots about Flyers' Pronger

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Adam Burish wanted to make amends. At least before his Dallas Stars head to town on Feb. 5 and he was have to face Chris Pronger himself.

Just after Patrick Kane clinched the Stanley Cup for Chicago, Burish did an on-ice interview with a Chicago TV station.

"I think Chris Pronger's the biggest idiot in the league," Burish told NBC. "I can't stand him one bit. I hope I never have to see him again. If I see him out there, I might punch him."

Burish was then asked if he had seen the unprofessional Chicago Tribune poster that depicted Pronger in a skirt, calling him "Chrissy Pronger."

"No, but that's perfect," Burish said. "He should have worn that out here [on the ice]. He was terrible."

That would be classless from any winner - let alone Burish, who was a healthy scratch in Game 6. He watched his teammates earn him a ring from the press box before running down to the locker room to put on all of his equipment and soak his hair to blend in with the celebration.

Burish signed with Dallas in the offseason and apparently grew up a little bit. He apologized Sunday night in an interview on the NHL Network. "You know what? I said some stupid things I probably shouldn't have after that game," Burish told the NHL Network's David Amber. "It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing and I'm not gonna sit and make an excuse about it. I've got a lot of respect for the guy. I think he's a Hall of Fame defenseman, one of the best that's ever played the game."

When asked in June if Pronger would retaliate on the ice next time the two met, Pronger needled back: "Where's that, in the minors?" The Stars travel to Philly on Feb. 5 and the Flyers will be in Dallas on March 19.

"I've moved on and, hopefully, I'm sure they have, too," Burish said. "I don't think a guy like Chris Pronger, a Hall of Fame defenseman, is really too worried about what a guy like me has to say at the end of the day."

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Flyers forward Nikolay Zherdev returned to Columbus, his home for his first 4 years in the NHL, last night for the first time since returning to the NHL from a 1-year hiatus in Russia.

On his last return to Nationwide Arena - 2 years ago with the Rangers - Zherdev picked up one goal and two assists.

But after leading the Flyers in preseason scoring with five goals in six games, Zherdev has gotten off to a quiet start with one goal in eight games. With the Flyers' penalty problems early in the season, Zherdev has been limited in ice-time. He has yet to earn much power-play time, averaging just 12 minutes, 43 seconds in total ice time per game.

"A lot of times you want to put the ice time as a reflection of how the player is playing, and that's not always the case," coach Peter Laviolette said. "I'd like to find him more ice. I'd like to get [James van Riemsdyk] more ice. In their ice time, I'd like to see them get onto the scoresheet and find that fit on the ice offensively and then that helps with their adjustment.

"Sometimes it takes a little time to find that rhythm yet with everybody. I haven't found it yet with him."

Zherdev skated last night with van Riemsdyk and Jeff Carter. Van Riemsdyk said it has been tough to develop any chemistry with limited five-on-five chances.

"He's obviously really skilled," van Riemsdyk said. "It's just a matter of finding that chemistry, sometimes it takes a little time. You've got to figure out a way to have success out there. Lines change and you just need to get adjusted." *

Defenseman Oskars Bartulis remained on loan with AHL Adirondack yesterday for a conditioning assignment. Bartulis played two games with the Phantoms last weekend. GM Paul Holmgren said he will leave Bartulis in Adirondack for the duration of his 14-day conditioning allotment. If it was anything other than conditioning, he would need to clear waivers. *