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Flyers RW Jake Voracek will miss Wednesday’s game; Nolan Patrick might play vs. Capitals

The Flyers also recalled right winger Justin Bailey from the Phantoms.

Flyers center Nolan Patrick (19) might play Wednesday against powerful Washington.
Flyers center Nolan Patrick (19) might play Wednesday against powerful Washington.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer

The Flyers received relatively good news Tuesday: The injuries to Jake Voracek and Nolan Patrick do not appear to be serious, according to general manager Chuck Fletcher.

Voracek will miss Wednesday night’s game against visiting Washington, and Fletcher said there was a chance Patrick will play. Patrick was hit in the face with a shot early in Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Islanders.

“They’re big pieces to our team,” captain Claude Giroux said after Tuesday’s practice in Voorhees. “The best thing we can do right now. ... is play as one unit and take care of business.”

Patrick took shots at goalies Carter Hart and Michal Neuvirth before Tuesday’s practice in Voorhees.

The Flyers recalled right winger Justin Bailey from the Phantoms.

Voracek, who missed the last game because of an undisclosed lower-body injury, will see a doctor Wednesday and be re-evaluated. “We hope to get him back on the ice by Thursday,” Fletcher said.

“We can’t afford to lose anybody, but certainly Jake brings a lot to us offensively and on the power play,” interim coach Scott Gordon said. “So, hopefully, cross our fingers, we get good news."

Patrick and Voracek did not take part in Tuesday’s full practice. During the Flyers’ 16-3-2 run, Voracek has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) and Patrick has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists).

As for Hart, Fletcher said he was “doing very well ... and if everything goes well on the ice and off the ice [Tuesday],” he will join the team for the morning skate Wednesday. Hart has missed the last four games because of an ankle injury.

Gordon hinted that Hart would not be ready to play until March 14, at the earliest.

These were the lines for Tuesday’s practice:

* Sean Couturier centering Giroux and Oskar Lindblom, who has played right wing in just one game this season.

* Scott Laughton centering Michael Raffl and Travis Konecny.

* Corban Knight centering James van Riemsdyk and Ryan Hartman.

The fourth line had Phil Varone centering Bailey and a rotating winger.

If Patrick plays, Laughton figures to drop to the third line.

Breakaways

If Patrick can’t play, Gordon said he will again use 11 forwards and seven defensemen. ... The sizzling Konecny, who has 10 goals in the last 19 games, is expected to replace Voracek on the first power-play unit. ... Since switching to a 1-3-1 neutral-zone forecheck on Jan. 19, the Flyers have allowed 2.68 goals per game in 19 contests. They allowed an average of 3.55 goals in their first 48 games. ... The Caps, who are battling the Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division, have won four straight. ... The Flyers have scored the first goal in the last four games.