Ice

A MAKESHIFT SIGN on an 8 1/2-by-11-inch computer printout greets you on the far right door of Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, N.J. It reads: WELCOME TO THE HOME OF 'JOHNNY HOCKEY' A certain buzz now surrounds this rink, where locals of all ages have laced up the skates since 1992. Everyone knows South Jersey's own John Gaudreau, the 19-year-old Boston College standout who starred in the recent world junior hockey championships. Now, the kids walk around in their USA hockey jerseys.

NEWARK, N.J. - Scott Hartnell skated Friday, but there is no change to the timetable for the injured left winger. Hartnell suffered a broken bone in his left foot Jan. 22 and was expected to miss four to eight weeks. Three weeks have passed since Hartnell underwent surgery. He met with a doctor Friday. Hartnell led the Flyers with a career-high 37 goals last season, and his absence has been felt this month as scoring has become an issue for the team. "He's a big part of our locker room.

When the NHL's 119-day lockout finally died last month, it took with it a potential rule change that hit home for Flyers defenseman Kurtis Foster. Granted, Foster would rather be playing than pushing for new league policy. Still, Foster couldn't help but shake his head when asked about the AHL - the minor hockey league often used as the NHL's proving ground for potential changes - abandoning its experiment with hybrid icing once the lockout ended. Foster, 31, nearly lost his leg and almost had his career cut short because of the NHL's dangerous icing regulations, which require players to touch the puck after it has been iced by the opposing team.

GROUNDHOG DAY was last Saturday. For Bruno Gervais, it had to feel like the start of the Flyers' season again. Gervais was a new face in a new place, yet he still began the year the same way he did last season: in the press box. As a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, the defenseman was scratched for nearly the first 40 games, before impressing Guy Boucher's staff and finishing on a strong note as a regular. Gervais, 28, was scratched for the Flyers' first two games, passed over in favor of fellow newcomer Kurtis Foster.

NEW YORK - Ask Flyers sophomore Sean Couturier about his start this season and he will shake his head before offering a gap-toothed grin. Couturier, 20, can't seem to avoid being on the ice when opponents score. Of the 20 goals the Flyers have given up in the first seven games, Couturier has been on the ice for 15 of them. "Everything seems to be going in when I'm out there," Couturier said. "Right now, the bounces aren't going my way. " He continued that trend at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night, racing to the point as Michael Del Zotto's shot slipped past Ilya Bryzgalov to give New York a 1-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game, and being on the ice for Ryan Callahan's second-period power-play goal.

FOLLOWING in the creamy tradition of the "SNL" "Schweddy Balls," Stephen Colbert's "AmeriCone Dream" and Jimmy Fallon's "Late Night Snack," Ben & Jerry's will commemorate the end of "30 Rock" with a new ice-cream flavor, rumored to be tied to Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. Maybe "Liz Lemon Meringue"? Or might they go in another direction with: "Kenneth's Possum Crunch"? "Tracy Leches"? "Jack and the Vanilla Bean Stalk"? "Chocolate-Peanut Butter Toofer"? The flavor will be in Ben & Jerry's ice-cream shops next month and available in still-16-ounce pints soon thereafter.

Mucking and grinding . . .   WHEN SCOTT HARTNELL went under the knife on Friday to repair his fractured left big toe, he joined a long list of Flyers to undergo a similar procedure as a result of a blocked shot. From Simon Gagne and Chris Pronger to Jeff Carter, Brayden Schenn and James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers have had quite a few unlucky breaks. They have affected forwards and defensemen equally? Are protective, plastic shields for skates an option to keep the Flyers just a little more healthy in the shortened season?

SUNRISE, Fla. - Flyers center Danny Briere, who missed the first four games because of a hairline fracture of his left wrist, made his first appearance of the year Saturday night. Before the game, Briere said he had no problems shooting the puck, but faceoffs still gave him difficulties. He began the night at left wing. Earlier in the day, general manager Paul Holmgren said Briere was "probably a no-go" for Saturday, but Briere apparently talked his way into the lineup. Briere played on a line with center Sean Couturier and right winger Jake Voracek.

More than a generation after the historic "Miracle On Ice" game in the 1980 Winter Olympics, 58-year-old Mike Eruzione is parting with his iconic No. 21 USA jersey, hockey stick, and other Olympic paraphernalia. Eruzione's white jersey alone is expected to fetch more than $1 million, but some sports memorabilia experts think it could go considerably higher. Eruzione scored the sensational winning goal against the Soviet hockey team in Lake Placid, N.Y., catapulting the Americans toward the gold medal.