Medvedev injury not serious; Couturier returning to Flyers' lineup
CALGARY, Alberta - Evgeny Medvedev's upper-body injury is not serious, and the Flyers' defenseman is not expected to miss more than another game or two.
Medvedev was examined in Philadelphia on Wednesday, and GM Ron Hextall said he will miss Thursday's game in Calgary. He wasn't sure if he would be able to join the team for Saturday's game in Winnipeg.
"I'd say he's day to day, but maybe two days is more accurate," Hextall said.
Couturier returning
Second-line center Sean Couturier will return to the lineup Thursday against Johnny Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames.
"He's a big part of our team," Hextall said. "He's not the most noticeable player. He's not the guy who steams down the ice on an end-to-end rush, but he does all the little things well. He's a complete player."
Couturier has missed the last six games since suffering a concussion on a hit by Boston's Zac Rinaldo. The Flyers went 1-5 in those games.
Couturier will center Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds.
Goalie matchup
Backup goalie Michal Neuvirth, coming off a terrific 45-save performance in Edmonton, will make his second straight start. Steve Mason was ill and unable to participate in the morning skate, but he will be Neuvirth's backup tonight, when the Flyers (4-6-2) try to end a five-game losing streak.
Neuvirth is 2-2 with a 2.13 GAA and .939 save percentage.
Karri Ramo (1-4, 4.43 GAA, .871) will make his third straight start for the 3-9-1 Flames.
Gaudreau excelling
Gaudreau, a shifty, 5-foot-9, 162-pound left winger who is the pride of Gloucester Catholic, leads Calgary with 13 points. Growing up in South Jersey, Gaudreau said he was a big fan of Danny Briere because he was a diminutive player who had lots of success.
Prospect update. Flyers prospect Travis Sanheim, a promising defenseman whom Hextall had been hoping to watch play for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen on Friday, will miss a few games with an unspecified upper-body injury suffered Wednesday.
Sanheim (six goals, 22 points in 18 games), the Flyers' top draft pick in 2014, had been playing well, and Hextall said he was "thrilled with Travis' progression." Hextall is also pleased with the progress of Hitmen left winger, Radel Fazleev, another Flyers prospect who is looking like a sixth-round steal from the 2014 draft. Fazleev has 10 goals and 22 points in 18 games.
Sanheim will likely miss the Canada-Russia series, which starts Monday.
Breakaways
Sam Gagner will be a healthy scratch... Scott Laughton will drop to the fourth-line center spot...Brayden Schenn will center R.J. Umberger and Vinny Lecavalier on the third line….The Flyers are allowing a league-high 34.7 shots per game.