For a fleeting moment, Radek Dvorak considered asking the Panthers' equipment staff to pack an extra metal-cage helmet before boarding the plane for Boston. You know, team unity and everything.

``We'll make it [look] like a high-school line out there,'' quipped Dvorak, the only member of his line currently without full-face protection on the ice.

Dominic Moore is wearing the cage as he continues to heal from nasal surgery. Gregory Campbell has a full plastic shield while he recovers from the broken nose he got from a slap shot to the face last weekend.

In the end, Dvorak opted to go with his usual headgear when the Panthers end a five-day layoff Wednesday night by facing the slumping Bruins. Not that Moore and Campbell didn't try to sway their linemate.

``I don't see why not,'' Moore said. ``We want to look like a team out there. We can be the Masked -- whatever.''

Masked Avengers? Masked Marauders?

``It's your job to come up with those kind of names,'' Moore jibed in response. ``But put some pressure on [Dvorak] to wear it.''

All frivolity aside, the Panthers will welcome the return of all three as they seek to shed a bumpy 5-9-1 start and embark on their busiest stretch of the season. Florida will not see consecutive days off again until Christmas.

``We know we have a tough stretch coming up; we have to be ready for every game,'' said Dvorak, who has missed the Panthers' past six games recovering from a slight ligament tear in his left knee. ``To have all our guys coming back from injuries, it'll be fun. We will try to provide some energy throughout the game up there.''

Coach Pete DeBoer suggested the impact of what they have been missing should be noticeable right away.

``Their speed and their work ethic,'' DeBoer said. ``On a team that has to win based on those kinds of tangibles, they're key people for us.

``They set the tempo. We're a forechecking team -- it allows us to get [into attack] quicker, it allows us to spend more time in the offensive zone than our own zone. It really has an effect throughout the lineup.''

Moore also will upgrade the Panthers' faceoff stats; his 54 percent success rate last year was the biggest reason Florida made a late push to sign him. Dvorak will strengthen Florida's penalty kill.

``Those are intangibles [that determine] whether you win or lose every night,'' DeBoer said.

Moore said it has taken a few days to get readjusted to the caged helmet, which he hasn't worn since his college playing days at Harvard.

``It's not ideal, but I'm fairly comfortable with it,'' Moore said. ``It's a little bit of an adjustment looking down -- there's a chin guard there, too. But you've just got to make do.''

Dvorak said he is not concerned about whether he can see his linemates' faces on the ice.

``I know how they skate, how they move,'' he said. ``I just need to see their stick.''

ODDS AND ENDS

• DeBoer said he doesn't know how much time newly reacquired Steve McIntyre will need at Rochester (N.Y.) before he's ready to join the Panthers. The tough-guy winger was claimed off waivers Tuesday from Edmonton, where he logged less than seven minutes of ice time.

``He's a hard-working guy,'' DeBoer said. ``Conditioning isn't going to be as critical for the role he's going to play with us, but he needs to get into some games.

``I don't believe in carrying a guy just to go fight. You have to get out and compete and do the job defensively and play some minutes. He's going to have to work in Rochester to get his game legs back.''

• Though he's still weeks away from returning, David Booth is doing some light exercise as he recovers from his Oct. 24 concussion. ``It's a slow process,'' DeBoer said, ``but there are encouraging signs.''