Andrej Meszaros

TWO KEY FLYERS defensemen face an offseason of doubt, as both Nicklas Grossmann and Andrej Meszaros try to bounce back from serious injuries. Meszaros is perhaps the biggest question mark moving forward, as he has played just 73 games over the last 18 months. Meszaros was at the Skate Zone on Sunday to conduct his exit interview and he was seen wearing a shoulder immobilizing device. He is 3 weeks removed from a surgery that both repaired and strengthened his left shoulder - something he injured on two separate occasions in this 48-game season.

   Here is a look ahead to the Eastern Conference semifinals, a highly anticipated rematch between the second-seeded Flyers and third-seeded Boston Bruins. Game 1 is Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center.      After coughing up a three-games-to-none lead in last year's conference semifinals to the Flyers, the Bruins wanted this rematch in the worst way.    "I'm not going to lie, it's a good opportunity for us to hopefully exorcise some demons," Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference told ESPN Boston.

Flyers Notes A year ago, center Claude Giroux had a so-so regular season with the Flyers, and defenseman Andrej Meszaros managed just 17 points and was minus-14 with Tampa Bay. It would have been difficult to foresee what transpired this season. Before Saturday night's season finale against the Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center, both were honored as the Flyers' top players. Giroux won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team's MVP, and Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy as its best defenseman in a vote by sportswriters and broadcasters.

Andrej Meszaros, whose health is one of the keys to the Flyers defense this season, passed his first test in Saturday's season-opening, 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Actually, I felt better than I thought I would feel, so that's a good sign," Meszaros said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how I felt because we lost. " Meszaros had offseason Achilles ligament surgery, and the Flyers weren't sure until Saturday whether he would play in the opener. Used on the third pairing with newcomer Kurtis Foster, Meszaros logged 19 minutes, 54 seconds - Kimmo Timonen (23:52)

2.94: Goals against per game for the Flyers in 2013. 141: Total goals allowed in 48 games. 10th: Rank in team defense in East. 2.83: Goals against per game for the Flyers in 2011-12. 46-40-52: Goals allowed by period for the Flyers, from first to third. The Flyers allowed the fifth-most goals league-wide in both the first and third periods, arguably the two biggest junctures of any hockey game. 68 percent: Goals the Flyers allowed at even strength, five-on-five play.

1. DAVID KREJCI, Bruins: He has absolutely killed the Flyers this series, collecting 4 goals and 4 assists in the first 3 games. He has scored the game-winner in each of the last two games. 2. ZDENO CHARA, Bruins: His' top-shelf snipe only 30 seconds into the contest got the ball rolling for Boston. 3. TIM THOMAS, Bruins: Andrej Meszaros' goal was the first allowed by Thomas in 68 straight shots, and he kept the opposition at bay when one goal may have tipped last night's game the Flyers' way.

MONTREAL - Minus a certain outspoken captain, the Flyers' dressing room was a little more quiet, and their defensive rotation was a lot more unstable on Wednesday night. Welcome to the team's latest version of Life Without Pronger. Like they did 32 times during last year's regular season, the Flyers played without star defenseman Chris Pronger when they faced the free-falling Canadiens. If Wednesday's result is any indication, it's going to be a bumpy two or three weeks for the Flyers.

The Flyers, enjoying a brief break, loaned forwards Tom Sestito and Ben Holmstrom back to the Phantoms because centers Sean Couturier (head injury) and Brayden Schenn (concussion) appear close to returning. The Flyers will resume practicing Monday in Voorhees at noon. Practices are free and open to the public. They play on Tuesday in Tampa against the Lightning. The Flyers are 7-2-1 in their last 10 road games, with both losses against the Rangers. Speaking of the Rangers, New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist had his home scoreless streak against the Flyers snapped at 193 minutes, 55 seconds - more than three games - when Andrej Meszaros scored in Friday's third period.

Maybe it's because they are hungrier and playing with more passion than their predecessors. Or maybe it's partly because their recent opponents - most of which have already clinched playoff spots - seemed to be going through the motions. Whatever the reason, the Flyers' young, no-name defense has keyed a late-season surge that has produced five wins in their last six games. The Flyers (22-22-3), trying to finish with more wins than regulation losses, and their patched-up defensive corps will conclude the disappointing season Saturday night in Ottawa.

The Flyers signed defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon to a multiyear contract extension and reached an agreement with center Scott Laughton, a 2012 first-round pick, on an entry-level deal, the team announced on Wednesday. Details of Bourdon's contract were not released, but the deal reportedly is for two years and $1.225 million. Bourdon, a third-round draft pick in 2008, made his debut last season and scored four goals with three assists. The 22-year-old played in 45 games for the Flyers.

2.94: Goals against per game for the Flyers in 2013. 141: Total goals allowed in 48 games. 10th: Rank in team defense in East. 2.83: Goals against per game for the Flyers in 2011-12. 46-40-52: Goals allowed by period for the Flyers, from first to third. The Flyers allowed the fifth-most goals league-wide in both the first and third periods, arguably the two biggest junctures of any hockey game. 68 percent: Goals the Flyers allowed at even strength, five-on-five play.

The NHL managed to start its postseason Tuesday night without any help from the Flyers for just the second time in the last 18 seasons. Everyone has a different theory as to why the local hockey team was so flatly mediocre this year, but almost all agree the problems were most apparent when both teams had five skaters on the ice. Unless the NHL significantly alters its rules, that will continue to put the Flyers at a severe disadvantage if not...

TWO KEY FLYERS defensemen face an offseason of doubt, as both Nicklas Grossmann and Andrej Meszaros try to bounce back from serious injuries. Meszaros is perhaps the biggest question mark moving forward, as he has played just 73 games over the last 18 months. Meszaros was at the Skate Zone on Sunday to conduct his exit interview and he was seen wearing a shoulder immobilizing device. He is 3 weeks removed from a surgery that both repaired and strengthened his left shoulder - something he injured on two separate occasions in this 48-game season.

Second in a five-part series The Flyers had their share of key injuries this season, but they did not have the depth to overcome them. Other teams did. Playoff-bound Ottawa, for instance, played without top forwards Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek for most of the season, along with standout defenseman Erik Karlsson. "Injuries happen through the course of the year, and it's all a part of it," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said Sunday. "There are obstacles and all teams face them, and when we faced them, we didn't face them very well.

Maybe it's because they are hungrier and playing with more passion than their predecessors. Or maybe it's partly because their recent opponents - most of which have already clinched playoff spots - seemed to be going through the motions. Whatever the reason, the Flyers' young, no-name defense has keyed a late-season surge that has produced five wins in their last six games. The Flyers (22-22-3), trying to finish with more wins than regulation losses, and their patched-up defensive corps will conclude the disappointing season Saturday night in Ottawa.

KURTIS FOSTER was laughing. Unless you include call-ups Erik Gustafsson and Brandon Manning, who played a combined 34 games with the team last season, no defenseman in the Flyers' lineup in Tuesday night's win against the Bruins was on last year's roster. Foster and Luke Schenn were the only two to start this season with the Flyers. For some, a glimpse at the Flyers' injury list - with more than $30 million committed to 12 players - at the close of the season may be a good reason why the Stanley Cup playoffs will go on without Philadelphia for the second time since 1995.

BOY, THE Flyers have used a lot of defenseman this year. Or have they? Did you see the six guys they had to use against the Bruins on Tuesday night? Kurtis Foster, Andreas Lilja, Luke Schenn, Erik Gustafsson, Brandon Manning and Oliver Lauridsen. Only Foster and Schenn were with the team on Opening Night. Just as remarkable is that the group played reasonably well in the 5-2 win. Heck, Lauridsen even got credit for the winning goal after his innocent dump-in was fumbled into the net with help from Boston's Zdeno Chara, who (by the way)

Something positive in the wake of the Flyers' rash of injuries to their defensive corps: Luke Schenn has emerged as arguably the team's top blue-liner in the last month, and Erik Gustafsson has blossomed into a steady, dependable player. Schenn, 23, has been a workhorse lately, playing 56 minutes, 30 seconds over his two previous games before Thursday's matchup against New Jersey. For the season, Schenn is averaging 21:36 a game, second among the Flyers left standing, behind only Kimmo Timonen (21:38)

WHEN VETERAN Kent Huskins joined Braydon Coburn, Andrej Meszaros, Nick Grossmann and Bruno Gervais on the Flyers' circus-like injury report on Tuesday, coach Peter Laviolette was forced to dress one of the youngest defense corps he's ever assembled. Brandon Manning brought the Flyers' average age of defensemen Tuesday night down to 27 - and that included 38-year-old Kimmo Timonen and 31-year-old Kurtis Foster. The Flyers already have used more defensemen (13) in 43 games this season than they did last year (12)

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov did not start one of the biggest games of the season Tuesday night, but he was not concerned about the decision to rest him. Steve Mason, acquired last week, made his first start in goal for the Flyers against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Bryzgalov entered the game second in the NHL in minutes played (2,059). He was asked if he felt he needed a rest. "I was tired," he said. After the morning skate, Bryzgalov said he was not surprised when he was pulled in the third period of Saturday's 4-1 loss to Winnipeg.