The Flyers avoided the league-wide injury plague long enough and now it’s time to pay their due
Danny Briere left Friday’s practice early with an apparent lower body injury that is likely to keep him out of Saturday’s contest against Carolina. David Laliberte has been called up in case Briere can not go. The official injury term is “lower body soreness.”
“It’s a tough break for Danny,” said general manager Paul Holmgren. “He was playing well. Early in the (Capitals) game he had an issue. He finished the game. We thought we’d give him one day off and it’s gone from there.”
The injury to Briere is the second major affliction hitting the Flyers’ forwards. Just days ago, Simon Gagne was diagnosed with a double hernia and was placed on LTIR. Briere has 5 goals and 2 assists in 10 games.
Laliberte, 23, scored 28 goals and 20 assists in 70 games with the Phantoms last season. The Flyers have been impressed with Laliberte’s maturity and finishing capability after drafting him in the fourth round of the 2004 draft.
According to Sarah Baicker of CSNphilly.com, after spending two promising but uninspired seasons in the AHL with the Phantoms, Flyers’ defensive prospect Oskars Bartulis, will get to see his first NHL action tonight as the Flyers take on the San Jose Sharks at the Wachovia Center.
Phila.Bright 