BILL KOSTROUN/Associated Press file Flyers goalie Robert Esche suffered dizziness in Sunday's game as a result of flulike symptoms. He's expected to be in goal tonight.

He figures to be in goal for Flyers in Game 6

By CHUCK GORMLEY
Courier-Post Staff

VOORHEES

Flyers goaltender Robert Esche must have felt a little like Roman Cechmanek the day after Game 4 of the Ottawa playoff series two years ago.

Only this time, his teammates weren't shooting pucks at his head.

Esche was back on the ice Monday afternoon at Skate Zone, taking slapshots from every possible angle.

"We drilled him with about 200 shots right away, and he felt good," Flyers right wing Todd Fedoruk said.

Esche is expected to be in goal tonight when the Flyers try to close out the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. If he cannot play, backup Sean Burke will be inserted, and Phantoms goalie Antero Niittymaki will serve as a backup.

Burke, who relieved Esche when the 26-year-old starter left Sunday's game with dizziness after the first period, said Esche looked fine at practice Monday.

"He looked quick, and it looked like he was jumping around pretty good out there," Burke said.

Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said Esche had been suffering from flulike symptoms for a few days leading up to Sunday's 7-2 win. But when he removed himself from the game after facing just two shots, the entire staff was concerned Esche might have suffered a concussion in Game 4 in Toronto, when Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe broke his mask with a slapshot.

"They told me we were in trouble with Esche," Hitchcock said of the Flyers' medical staff's report between periods of Game 5. "We're really relieved. You're not sure, especially after a blow to the head. That was a full slapshot to the mask, but that had no effect."

Fedoruk, who was a healthy scratch in Game 5, said he asked Esche what was wrong between periods.

"He said he was dizzy," Fedoruk said. "After he had some fluids, he jumped on the (exercise) bike and he was fine. That's what happens with dehydration. You lose focus, you get dizzy and you feel weak."

Esche, who is not speaking to the media on off days, was given medication and fluids Sunday night and told Hitchcock he felt "much better" once he woke up Monday and that his energy level was "back to normal."

Barring a setback, Esche will play tonight when the Flyers try to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000. Flyers defenseman Vladimir Malakhov might not be as fortunate.

According to Hitchcock, Malakhov had his "bell rung" 15:42 into Sunday's game when Leafs forward Darcy Tucker slammed him into the glass behind the Flyers' net. Tucker received a two-minute charging penalty on the play.

"I feel pretty good today," Malakhov said Monday, after skipping an optional skate.

Hitchcock said Malakhov's status is doubtful for tonight's game. The 35-year-old defenseman leads the Flyers in ice time in the playoffs, averaging 24:42 a game.

If Malakhov cannot play tonight, Hitchcock said he will move right wing Sami Kapanen back on defense, just as he did when defenseman Kim Johnsson was forced to miss the first three games of the series with a broken right hand.

If Kapanen moves back on defense, right wing Branko Radivojevic will be moved onto a line with Keith Primeau and Donald Brashear. Radivojevic scored his first career playoff goal in Sunday's lopsided win. His spot would be taken by either Patrick Sharp or Fedoruk.

The Flyers are expecting an angry and desperate effort from the Maple Leafs, who have won five straight playoff games at the Air Canada Centre and will be trying to force a Game 7 Thursday in Philadelphia.

"They're a team fighting for their lives right now," Flyers right wing Tony Amonte said. "They're going to come at us hard and play their best game. We need to play our best, that's the only way we're going to beat them."

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Reach Chuck Gormley at cgormley@courierpostonline.com