[Drew]

Source: Wayne Fish at PhillyBurbs.com

It's time for another one of those first-time-against-the-old-teammate games, but it's tough for the Flyers to work up any real animosity toward Roman Cechmanek.

Their former goaltender was, in their eyes, just a quirky player who took too many chances and didn't come up big at playoff time.

So when the Kings host the Flyers tonight in Los Angeles, the emotions might barely register on the old "Eric Lindros/Richter" Scale.

Instead, the Flyers (2-0-2) would like to just slip a few pucks past Cechmanek and get out of the Staples Center still undefeated.

Cechmanek already has tipped Kings fans to the type of roller-coaster performer he can be.

In the season opener, the Kings had a 2-1 lead with five minutes to play. Then Cechmanek gave up the tying goal, followed by the winning goal to Steve Yzerman with just 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

Saturday night, the Kings enjoyed a 3-1 edge on Boston. However, the Bruins came storming back and put three shots, including one from ex-Flyer goon Sandy McCarthy, past Cechmanek for a 4-3 win.

Meanwhile, the Flyers have been more than happy with successor Jeff Hackett (2-0-1), who recorded shutouts in his first two starts and is still undefeated.

Coach Ken Hitchcock says Cechmanek's problems weren't a product of the Flyers' system.

"[The Kings] play the same way we do," he said. "It's just that sometimes when you're trying to get to the end of the rope and you don't, you make changes.

"This organization made a change, but he's still a really good goalie. He's going to try to make a go of it in L.A., and we went in a different direction. He's certainly a major reason why this team won the Jennings [Trophy]. Sometimes you're judged by playoffs, and that's how it goes sometimes."

Cechmanek did finally win a playoff series against Toronto last year but then faltered against Ottawa. The previous year, he had created a stir by pointing the finger of blame at teammates and basically asking out of a playoff game against the Senators.

Currently, Cechmanek is 2-2 with a 3.01 goals-against average and a mediocre .896 save percentage.

Some believe Cechmanek's slightly oddball approach to the game (he reads newspapers and listens to music in the last hours leading up to faceoff) will play OK in a city which hasn't paid much attention to hockey since Wayne Gretzky left.

"It's good for me," Cechmanek said after the trade. "It's a chance to play, I think, different hockey than Philadelphia."

If anyone can get Cechmanek straightened out, it's Kings coach Andy Murray, formerly an assistant coach with the Flyers. He's known for a steady, even-handed approach to players.

" 'Chem-o' is a good guy," Mark Recchi said. "But it was probably in the best of his interests and ours to let him go elsewhere. It's a great situation for him in L.A. It's quiet out there. The focus isn't going to be so much on hockey.''

No doubt, the Flyers have seen enough of Cechmanek in practice and games to exploit any weaknesses.

"It will be interesting," Recchi said. "We know some of his tendencies, and he knows some of ours. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Hopefully, we can use some of that knowledge to get a win."


LeClair still out

John LeClair, who suffered a broken bone in his left foot during a practice at West Point, N.Y. on Oct. 5, skated on Saturday for the first time. But he experienced soreness on Sunday and now the Flyers say he will not play either in Los Angeles tonight or Anaheim tomorrow night. Also, Simon Gagne injured his right shoulder (not the one he had surgery on two years ago) in Saturday night's game at Phoenix and is listed as doubtful. If he can't go, the Flyers say they will use veteran forward Peter White.

[Jlg-28]

Time to get lite up Chokemanek hahahaha

[Chris]

Double Digits at least