Flyers Notes: Goal-scoring slump weighs on Brayden Schenn

On their car rides to the hockey rink earlier this season, forward Brayden Schenn tried to keep his brother, Luke, in a positive mind-set after the defenseman was a healthy scratch for three straight games.

Now it's Luke's turn to pump up his brother.

Entering Tuesday's matchup against visiting Washington, Brayden Schenn had been held without a goal in his last 11 games.

"We've always had each other's backs," Luke Schenn said Tuesday after the morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. "We've always pushed each other our whole lives."

Brayden Schenn went scoreless again Tuesday, and his night took a turn for the worse when he appeared to suffer a head injury as he was checked into the boards by Washington's Tom Wilson with 4 minutes, 43 seconds left in the second period. He did not return to the game The Flyers said only that he had an upper-body injury.

Brayden Schenn, who recently moved from left wing to center - his natural position - because of Vinny Lecavalier's back injury, has had numerous scoring chances lately but hasn't been able to hit the back of the net.

"He's getting a few chances and had a couple breakaways lately and is getting a little snakebitten," Luke Schenn said. "It's going to come sooner or later. I think he's working on shooting the puck a little more and trying to get to the net on the power play and screen the goalie. It doesn't always have to be a pretty one. Just try to get to the net and clean up the garbage sometime."

Brayden Schenn, 22, who is centering a physical line that includes Scott Hartnell and Wayne Simmonds, said you "start worrying about it and getting frustrated when the chances don't come. Eventually, the goals are going to come. I'm going to keep on working and getting to the net and the hard areas, and hopefully one will go in."

Luke Schenn said his brother's struggles are typical for a player his age.

"Most young guys go through stints like that and try to figure out how to do it," he said. "They show signs of brilliance at times, and other times the confidence goes away a little bit. He'll find a way."

Before his 12-game drought, Brayden Schenn had seven goals in the first 22 games.

The Flyers will honor the Philadelphia Police Department and the Police Athletic League by wearing police patches on their jerseys during warm-ups for Thursday's home game against Columbus.