Didn't happen.
"It's actually the last few games we've started out slow," Simmonds said. "You get behind the eight ball, you know you're going to pay in this league."
Trade talk
Nothing is close in trade talks between the Flyers and other teams, a source confirmed Sunday.
The trade deadline is Feb. 27, and several defensemen are believed to be on the Flyers' radar, including Carolina's Bryan Allen, who has a no-trade clause, Montreal's Hal Gil, and Toronto's Luke Schenn.
It's a brawlgame
Winger Tom Sestito became the first Flyer to have three fights in a game since Ian Laperriere in a 4-1 loss to Florida on Dec. 21, 2009. Sestito was one of eight rookies in the Flyers' lineup Sunday.
Rinaldo fined
Zac Rinaldo, another rookie winger, was fined a total of $5,000 for two late hits - one on Jacob Josefson, the other on Zach Parise - during the Flyers' 6-4 loss to visiting New Jersey on Saturday.
Breakaways
The Flyers are 4-7-1 in afternoon games. . . . The Rangers have won six in a row over the Flyers at home, outscoring them, 24-8. . . . Scott Hartnell and Matt Carle were each minus-4. . . . A Flyers rookie has scored a goal in 11 of the last 13 games. . . . Flyers have missed a total of 189 games this season because of injury or illness, while the Rangers have 162 man-games lost. . . . The Flyers entered Sunday fourth in the 30-team league on the power play with a success rate of 20.7 percent, and 17th on the penalty kill (82.1 percent). . . . Matt Read went into Sunday leading NHL rookies in goals (16) and game-winning goals (4). . . . The Rangers' .710 winning percentage through 50 games is their best start in 40 years.
