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Injured Schenn could miss Flyers' game Sat.; NHL's first black player visits

Forward Brayden Schenn, the Flyers' top offensive player recently, may miss Saturday's game against Columbus with a head injury.

Schenn, who has 12 goals in the last 22 games, was injured in Thursday's 4-0 loss to visiting Edmonton.

General manager Ron Hextall, through a team spokesman, said Friday the Flyers were still gathering information on Schenn's injury and that they would have an announcement Saturday.

In the third period of Thursday's game, Oilers defenseman Adam Pardy put a bear hug on Schenn during a scrum and tackled him to the ice. Schenn's head hit the ice with Pardy atop him with 12 minutes, 44 seconds left.

Schenn returned for a few shifts, and then missed the final 6:07.

Lately, Schenn has been the left winger on the top line, alongside Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds.

Schenn has 21 goals _ second on the team, behind Simmonds' 23.

O'Ree visits. Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player in 1958 when he played for Boston, visited with the Flyers after their optional practice Friday in Voorhees.

Flyers center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who is part black, spoke with O'Ree in the team's dressing room.

"It's pretty cool feeling to meet a part of history," Bellemare said. "His time (breaking the barrier) must have been tough for him. You have to be strong to be able to stay mentally focused as to why you are there."

The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation is hosting the Willie O'Ree Skills Weekend in Philadelphia through Sunday.

Recognizing O'Ree for his contributions "in bringing diversity and new audiences to the sport of hockey is very much congruent with our mission to build lives and unite communities," said Scott Tharp,(CQ) president of Snider Hockey.

The event will be attended by 65 children from Hockey Is For Everyone programs throughout North America,  along with youths from Snider Hockey.

O'Ree, 80, is the NHL's director of youth development and ambassador for league diversity.

During his playing days, O'Ree said he was "exposed to racial slurs and remarks, but I just let it go in one ear and out the other."

Breakaways. Goalie Steve Mason has dropped 4-1 and 3-2 (shootout) decisions to Columbus this season.....The Blue Jackets will be playing their second game in as many nights....The Flyers' morning skate will be held at 11 in Voorhees Saturday because Villanova has a basketball game at the Wells Fargo Center.