Flyers focus on next game, not injuries
Patrick could join Voracek, Hart on sidelines for 'Wednesday Night Hockey' against Capitals
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The 29-year-old forward, who is third on the Flyers with 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists), will miss his second straight game because of a lower-body injury, adding another obstacle in Philadelphia's quest to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Flyers, who are seven points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference, also could be without forward Nolan Patrick. The 20-year-old left the Flyers' 4-1 win against the New York Islanders on Sunday during the first period after he was hit in the head by a shot, sustaining a cut that required 5-6 stitches to close.
"Him coming out of the game Sunday was more precautionary than anything else," Flyers coach Scott Gordon said Wednesday. "I don't want to say his injury wasn't severe because it was, getting hit in the head with a puck and then getting a cut on top of it. But he felt fine after he got into the locker room. Had a little ringing in his ear but he felt normal."
Patrick, who has 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) this season, skated before practice Tuesday, took part in Wednesday's morning skate and will be evaluated before the game.
"Felt pretty good," Patrick said on Wednesday. "Obviously morning skate is a lot different than a game would be. But we'll know closer to the game."
No matter who is in the lineup, the Flyers understand that securing two points in the standings is crucial.
"They're big pieces to our team," captain Claude Giroux said. "Best thing we can do right now is worry about Washington and not whether [Patrick and Voracek] play or don't play, for us it's about play as one unit and take care of business."
The Flyers have done that since the last time they played the Capitals, a 5-3 loss at Capital One Arena on Jan. 8. Since then the Flyers are 17-4-2, and their 36 points are tied with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning for most in the NHL in that span.
"I think we're playing better as a team," forward Sean Couturier said. "Since [Gordon] came in (Dec. 17) he's brought some adjustments with him, in the system, and I think it's given us some better results."
Among the changes has been the adoption of a 1-3-1 forecheck. They used it for the first time in a 5-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 19, and since then they've allowed 2.68 goals in 19 games, down from 3.55 goals-against in their first 47 games.
"It's a lot different, especially when a team dumps the puck in," forward Scott Laughton said. "Takes a little bit of time to adjust. I don't think a lot of guys have played a 1-3-1 for a while. Took a little bit of time to adjust, but that's the biggest thing, trying to get out of your zone after they get in."
Backstopping the improvement has been strong play in goal. The Flyers have used an NHL-record eight goalies this season, with Brian Elliott the latest to stabilize the position. He will start Wednesday and is 3-0-1 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in six games (four starts) since returning Feb. 19 from a lower-body injury that sidelined him three months.
"He's been great," Couturier said. "He's been through a lot, long recovery. He seems to be right at the top of his game and he's making some big saves, giving us a chance to win every night."
Rookie goalie Carter Hart, who has missed the past five games because of an ankle injury sustained during the morning skate before a game against the Canadiens on Feb. 21, skated before practice Tuesday and took part in the morning skate Wednesday. When he plays again though is unknown.
"He's out doing the pregame skate so that's a positive sign," Gordon said. "After that we won't know anything until he really replicates the action that caused the injury. He's been staying away from that. We'll see how he is after the skate today and how close he is to being able to do the things that bother him. We'll determine where he's getting close to being ready to do a full practice and play."
Hart is eager to return to the lineup.
"I felt pretty good," Hart said. "We were being careful but at the same time I felt pretty good out there.
"I don't like watching at all. It's kind of tough."
Gordon also said if Patrick can't play he would use a lineup with seven defensemen and 11 forwards, including
Justin Bailey
, who was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. But the Flyers' focus is on the Capitals and nothing else. Including the fact that the Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins, the teams Philadelphia is chasing in the standings, all won Tuesday.
"Might peek at the scores here and there but you can't worry about that stuff," Giroux said. "If they all win or they all lose, doesn't change how we have to play tomorrow and how we have to take care of business. We need to worry about ourselves first and if we do get help, we do get help. The teams that we're trying to catch are really good teams, they'll get their wins. The only way to catch them is for us to play our game."
