Flyers remain confident they can turn it around

PHILADELPHIA - Tell the Flyers four days ago they would head back home having completely kept the Blackhawks' top line off the scoresheet, held Chicago without a power-play goal while scoring a couple at their end and shell Antti Niemi for 6 goals in Games 1 and 2 combined, and they would've said in unison "Where do we sign up?"

So imagine their frustration knowing they're no closer to ending their 35-year Stanley Cup drought today than when they started, having dropped a pair of excruciating 1-goal games at the United Center that couldn't have been more different.

Another loss Wednesday night at what figures to be a raucous Wachovia Center would put the Flyers in an 0-3 hole that might seem insurmountable if not for the fact Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Chris Pronger & Co. dug their way out of that identical predicament vs. the Boston Bruins just three weeks ago.

But that's not a road they want to travel against the Hawks.

"It's not like it's a new situation for us," conceded Simon Gagne, who scored the Flyers lone goal in Monday's 2-1 loss, giving him 8 in the postseason. "The good thing now is we have a chance to come back here and play the next two games.

"We have to focus on tomorrow. It's going to be the biggest game of the season for us."

And the Flyers, who'll get a rousing welcome from a crowd that will get even more pumped up when the unlikely duo of Lauren Hart (daughter of the late Gene Hart, the Flyers famed announcer) and a superimposed Kate Smith sing "God Bless America," see no reason to panic.

"We believe in our team," said Briere, whose 10 playoff goals tops the Flyers, while his 22 points matches Richards for the team lead. "With our team, it seems like we like to grind it out, make it tough.

"Obviously, we would rather be up 2-0 or even 1-1. But we believe we can come back. We have to keep pounding away and start creating our own bounces. We're just missing a little something around the net."