No rest for Flyers after hitting .500 mark

Knuble is likely to return to Peter Laviolette’s lineup Tuesday night due to a teammate’s suspension.

Now that the Flyers have climbed back to the .500 mark, there’s no time for patting themselves on the back. With four games in the next six days — some against the East’s elite — the Flyers need to keep their skates on the gas.

“Hopefully, it gives us a little boost,” said Claude Giroux. “There aren’t a lot of games left. It’s halfway through the season.”

Facing the Rangers Tuesday night at the Garden, the Flyers will become the NHL’s first team to reach the midway point. Then they’ll get right back at it Thursday vs. the hated Penguins. On Saturday, the Flyers head up to Boston.

“We are aware that in March we play a lot of very good teams,” said Giroux. “It’s where we want it. But it doesn’t matter who we play. All we know is we need to work on our game.”

Coach Peter Laviolette, who will likely plug Mike Knuble into the lineup for the suspended Harry Zolnierczyk, realizes what’s at stake, too.

“We have to win hockey games,” the coach said. “We have a big month right now. We have to put some wins together in order to move ourselves up in the standings. We need to continue to push the month of March.”