It wasn't, of course; in six professional seasons, Gratton has played 68 games in the NHL and 225 games in the AHL. But he had somehow missed the experience of playing on Long Island.

"This is my first time in this rink," said Gratton, a left winger. "This one and Montreal I haven't played in out of all the rinks."

Not that the Coliseum is any big deal; it's actually one of the seediest buildings in the league and in dire need of replacement. But Gratton wouldn't mind coming back on March 28, the next time the Flyers play here.

That would mean that Gratton, 26, had some success with the Flyers. Yesterday he was playing in his second game since he returned after a 3-year hiatus in the Western Conference, with first the Phoenix Coyotes' organization and then the Nashville Predators.

During his time with the Flyers, he suited up almost exclusively with the Phantoms, playing a big role in the Calder Cup championship in 2005.

Gratton was traded back to the Flyers from Nashville on Oct. 30 for Tim Ramholt. When injuries opened a spot, Gratton was called up and is hoping to find a way to stick around.

"I'm excited to be back," he said. "It's been a long couple of years and it's good to be back where I feel comfortable. There have been a lot of ups and downs. I had a good year and a half in Phoenix and then I got injured; I broke my hand and got sent down.

"It's good to be back in the NHL. I got sent down and then I got traded and a couple of teams later, I'm back here."

What Gratton does when he's here will depend on the injury situation and how he plays.

"I thought he had a very good game for us the last game," coach John Stevens said. "He skates well, he has good hands, he's good on the forecheck, he's a good physical presence, he gets pucks to the net and he's responsible defensively.

"If he can bring energy to our team like he did the last game, he can really provide something for us."