Flyers Notes: Grossmann could play Tuesday for Flyers

Defenseman Nick Grossmann, who has missed the last four games with head and shoulder injuries, may return to action Tuesday when the Flyers host his former team, the Dallas Stars.

"There's an outside chance," said general manager Ron Hextall, noting that Grossmann skated at the Flyers' practice facility in Voorhees on Monday.

Before trading Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn, the Flyers were overloaded with defensemen. But their blue line is thin because of injuries to Grossmann and Michael Del Zotto, who will miss about another week.

Because of the trades and injuries, Brandon Manning was recalled from the Phantoms and played 15 minutes, 36 seconds in the Flyers' 5-2 loss in New Jersey on Sunday. He was plus-1 in the game.

If Grossmann is unable to play Tuesday, he should be ready for Thursday's game in St. Louis, Hextall said.

The Flyers (28-26-13) are facing the Stars (29-27-10) for the first time since Oct. 18, when the visitors overcame a 4-2 third-period deficit and emerged with a wild 6-5 overtime win in Dallas. Claude Giroux scored the winner on a four-on-three power play.

Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza each had four points for the Stars in that loss.

The Flyers have lost five straight in games against teams that are not in a playoff spot, getting outscored in even-strength situations, 12-5, in those matchups.

Dallas, like the Flyers, is not in a playoff spot.

It is almost unfathomable that all-star center Giroux enters Tuesday without an even-strength goal at home all season. Overall, Giroux has seven even-strength goals and 11 on the power play.

Here are the Flyers' top goal scorers at even strength: Michael Raffl 15, Wayne Simmonds 13, Sean Couturier 11, Jake Voracek 10, Chris VandeVelde 9, Del Zotto 8, Brayden Schenn 8, Giroux 7, R.J. Umberger 7, Vinny Lecavalier 6, Mark Streit 5, and Matt Read 5.