SabreSpace

'"You can bring that into your coaching: what it takes, what the pitfalls are along the way. Coaching . . . might be a little more difficult if you've never won the Stanley Cup. . . . There's that credibility factor. And he has it, being a member of a team that won something."' … [Read more...] about Barber has been there, won that

'"After the game, I was nervous," Cechmanek said quietly yesterday. "We lost. I wanted to be prepared, and I felt I was not as prepared. I don't know. The whole team must play better than we played. We did not play like this the whole season."' … [Read more...] about Cechmanek deals with Saturday's defeat

'Center Curtis Brown is single-handedly killing the Flyers. He has won 60 percent of his face-offs (35 of 58) and is plus-2 in the series with a goal.' … [Read more...] about Flyers at Sabres

'But the Sabres also have been resilient, and unlike the Flyers, who suffered injuries and sputtered into the postseason, Buffalo came in having won 10 of its last 13 games - including that season-ending loss to the Flyers in which the Sabres built a 37-17 shots edge.' … [Read more...] about McKee will trade puck for Cup

'The greatest fear about Bill Barber's Flyers is two losses away from becoming an undeniable truth. The fear was that the Flyers would wear themselves out overachieving in the regular season. That they would exhaust themselves extracting every last point they could.' … [Read more...] about Fatigue could be a factor

'Barber is pulling out all the stops - he posted a Fred Shero quote in the visiting locker room yesterday - and he said he certainly would welcome Primeau back to the lineup, as this Flyers team tries to become the third in franchise history to win a series after losing the first two games. But Barber also cautioned that Primeau hardly can be expected to step in cold … [Read more...] about Primeau might not be enough

'Getting Primeau back should help in several areas. One, he's their best clutch faceoff man and the Flyers have been slow off the draw without him. In Game 2, the Sabres won 57 percent of the time.' … [Read more...] about Flyers stay upbeat despite 2-0 deficit

'"He's very good on faceoffs and size-wise, down low, he gives you another big body to deal with,'' Ruff said after yesterday's practice. "He may free up those other guys (Mark Recchi, Simon Gagne) and give them a little more time.''' … [Read more...] about Primeau's return could change things in a hurry

'Ask congenial Buffalo forward Vaclav Varada what his favorite pastime is, however, and bothering John LeClair would be right near the top of the list.' … [Read more...] about Prime time for Primeau’s return

'Though they have accepted multiple changes of players, coaches and media-guide cover figures, these Flyers represent the final stand of a noble project nearing collapse.' … [Read more...] about Flyers are reaching point of no return

'Clarke said the difference in his club without its top center has been obvious in the first two losing games of a best-of-seven war with the Sabres. He also thinks the Flyers would have been able to sustain Primeau's injury much better had unsigned Eric Lindros made himself available this season.' … [Read more...] about Clarke: Lindros quit on us

'One problem the Flyers have is that they still believed in themselves after a 2-1 loss Wednesday in Game 1. They managed to improve their play in Game 2. They put traffic in front of Hasek at times Saturday, and it produced a 3-2 lead when Mark Recchi converted a rebound late in the second period. And they still lost 4-3 in overtime because the Sabres were just a little … [Read more...] about Primeau's return could buoy Flyers

'He said he felt some instability in the knee, but saw marked improvement from earlier last week when he first began skating. Primeau said he realizes he would probably need another three to six weeks before his left knee is completely healed.' … [Read more...] about Primeau ready to play, will be evaluated today

'Primeau has been out since March 26 with a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. If this were the regular season, he would still be at least a week away from returning.' … [Read more...] about Flyers hoping Primeau files return

'The Buffalo Sabres surprised some by wearing their third sweater, a red top, for Game 2. Someone told Ruff his team looked like the Chicago Blackhawks, who missed the playoffs. "Yeah, but we didn't play like them," Ruff said.' … [Read more...] about Flyers Notebook