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Flyers Notes: Schenn returns to Flyers lineup

TAMPA, Fla. - Center Brayden Schenn returned to the lineup for the first time in three-plus weeks when the Flyers played Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Flyers Notes

TAMPA, Fla. - Center Brayden Schenn returned to the lineup for the first time in three-plus weeks when the Flyers played Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Schenn, 20, had missed the previous nine games after suffering what the Flyers called a "mild" concussion in Phoenix on Dec. 3.

"You just want to get the first shift, the first period, and the first game out of the way, then you can stop thinking about it and keep going on with the season," Schenn said before the game. "I've been sitting home and thinking about it obviously quite a bit lately, and it's just good to get this out of the way and move on."

Acquired with Wayne Simmonds and a No. 2 draft pick in 2012 in the deal that sent Mike Richards to Los Angeles last summer, Schenn has been plagued with injuries. He hurt a shoulder in the preseason and suffered a broken foot earlier in the year.

In his six games before Tuesday, he had no points and was minus-6. He had six goals and six assists in seven AHL games with the Phantoms.

Schenn entered Tuesday having played 15 NHL games and had no goals and two assists. He centered Harry Zolnierczyk and Zac Rinaldo against the Lightning.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas, Schenn was the head chef at Scott Hartnell's Old City residence, cooking a turkey dinner for Hartnell, Matt Read, and Claude Giroux.

"Surprisingly, it was good," Read said. "I'd give him an A-minus."

The players said they called their mothers several times to ask questions about the cooking.

"Just to make sure we were doing everything all right; the gravy and all that tricky stuff," Hartnell said.

Classic voices

Patti LaBelle, a Philadelphia native, will sing the national anthem and Lauren Hart will perform "God Bless America" at the Winter Classic on Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

Breakaways

The holiday trade freeze ended Tuesday, but the Flyers are expected to give promising rookie defenseman Erik Gustafsson a look-see before deciding whether to make a deal for a defenseman. Gustafsson, recovering from wrist surgery, made the trip and may play Thursday in Pittsburgh. . . . Danny Briere, who missed the previous game with a bruised hand, returned to the lineup. . . . Kimmo Timonen began the night tied for ninth among NHL defensemen with 22 points. He was third among defensemen in assists with 22. . . . The third installment of HBO's 24/7 will be shown Wednesday at 10 p.m.

- Sam Carchidi