Van Riemsdyk

REMOVING HIS shinpad from his socks after a brief morning skate, Scott Hartnell moved through the buzzing Flyers locker room and tried to add to the suspense. "JVR's back in the lineup tonight!" Hartnell said, playing the role of a reporter trying to sell newspapers. Hartnell was kidding. He is rarely serious. James van Riemsdyk was not back in the Flyers' lineup against the Islanders last night, as he sat out for his 11th straight game. But van Riemsdyk's situation did take an interesting turn as he broached his concussion issues with reporters for the first time since being declared "out indefinitely" on Jan. 14. "It's a pretty slow process," van Riemsdyk said.

Flyers center Danny Briere is getting "close" to returning from a concussion that has sidelined him for the last four games. "I felt good today. I was able to push myself fairly hard on the ice at practice, which is a good sign," Briere said after Thursday's morning skate. Briere and winger James van Riemsdyk, who is also out with a concussion, took part in the morning skate but did not play against visiting Nashville on Thursday night. Van Riemsdyk was unavailable for comment.

The Flyers returned to the ice on Monday for the first time since last Tuesday's 3-2 shootout win at Florida, well rested after the all-star break, but not totally healthy. Jaromir Jagr (groin), Danny Briere (concussion), James van Riemsdyk (concussion) and Zac Rinaldo (upper-body injury) returned to practice. Jagr and Rinaldo are listed as day to day. Brière and van Riemsdyk remain out indefinitely. "It's good to get them back for the first day," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said after the practice in Voorhees.

NASHVILLE - James van Riemsdyk became the fifth Flyer sidelined with a concussion this season. The 22-year-old left winger missed Saturday's game in Nashville and was replaced by Matt Read on a line with Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. "It's really unfortunate. I thought we've had some good chemistry," Simmonds said. "We've been playing well the last couple weeks. " Read, who entered the night with 13 goals, had recently been on the fourth line. "Reader is a great player, obviously," Simmonds said.

OTTAWA, Ontario - If the Flyers are going to make a legitimate Stanley Cup run, they obviously need enigmatic goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to raise his game. He doesn't have to play out of this universe, but he can't resemble someone who has frequently looked like Ken Wregget in the season's first half. With crease-clearing defenseman Chris Pronger expected to miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs, Bryzgalov's play becomes even more magnified. But while most of the attention figures to be focused on the quirky Russian goaltender who became a sensation on HBO's Winter Classic series 24/7 , there is someone else who will be watched closely in the season's second half.

MARC-ANDRE Bourdon's shot bounced off one post and caromed off the other, and then, just 9 seconds later, Chicago turned the rebound into a goal. Twenty-five seconds after that, the Blackhawks tied the game. Suddenly, the Flyers' almost-iced victory against the same Chicago Blackhawks that last skated out of the Wells Fargo Center with the Stanley Cup on June 9, 2010, was all even. "It was a tough turn of events," coach Peter Laviolette said. "That hit the post there, I think that would have sealed it at 5-2 and buried it and put it away.

James van Riemsdyk had a coming-out party on Thursday night. The much-maligned Flyers winger scored two goals - the second with 32.8 seconds left - to give the Flyers a riveting, 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks before a roaring, sellout crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Van Riemsdyk converted a Scott Hartnell pass while the Flyers were on a power play because of a high-sticking penalty by their old nemesis, Patrick Kane. "He put it right on my tape, and all I had to do was close my eyes and put it in," van Riemsdyk said after scoring his 11th goal.

James van Riemsdyk had a coming-out party on Thursday night. The much-maligned Flyers winger scored two goals - the second with 32.8 seconds left - to give the Flyers a riveting, 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks before a roaring, sellout crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Van Riemsdyk converted a Scott Hartnell pass while the Flyers were on a power play because of a high-sticking penalty by their old nemesis, Patrick Kane. "He put it right on my tape, and all I had to do was close my eyes and put it in," van Riemsdyk said after scoring his 11th goal.

Though there are conflicting reports on what part of Jaromir Jagr's body is injured, this much is certain: The veteran winger's absence will hurt the Flyers' struggling offense and weaken their power play. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren announced Tuesday that Jagr would miss seven to 10 days because of a mild groin strain. Holmgren declined a request to speak with reporters and instead issued a statement about Jagr's condition. After Monday's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers in the Winter Classic, Jagr said he had aggravated a calf injury.

TAMPA, Fla. - At any given point during an NHL season - and especially as it progresses - the trainer's room may be a more popular hangout for players than the locker room itself. Players skate through various bumps, bruises, strains, sprains and cuts during an 82-game grind that lasts from September through April, most often without anyone catching wind of an injury, without anyone knowing other than the player, his teammates and management. Kimmo Timonen , for one, battles through chronic lower-back pain.