Flyers call up Wellwood

Versatile left winger Eric Wellwood, who had a goal, two assists, and a plus-6 rating in five earlier games with the Flyers, was recalled from the Phantoms and rejoined the big-league club on Saturday.

"He's smart, plays with speed, and is a good checker," coach Peter Laviolette said after Saturday's practice in Voorhees. "Every time he's been up here, he's done a nice job for us."

This is the fourth time Wellwood has been recalled this season.

"I'll do it any day," said a smiling Wellwood, referring to the long car ride from Adirondack to rejoin the Flyers. "One day I can be here and the next I could be gone, so I just enjoy the days I have here and don't look past tomorrow, and we'll just see what happens."

The Flyers decided to add a player because left winger James van Riemsdyk is sidelined for the rest of the regular season with a broken left foot.

Wellwood, who will turn 22 on Tuesday, or Jody Shelley will play Sunday night in Washington, a team fighting for its playoff life. Laviolette seemed to be leaning toward Wellwood.

In 33 games with the Phantoms this season, Wellwood had nine goals and 12 assists.

A sixth-round draft pick in 2009, Wellwood said the speed of the players hasn't been a problem in his brief NHL stints.

"I think that's one of my strengths. I don't find it any faster [in the NHL]," said Wellwood, whose brother, Kyle, plays for the Winnipeg Jets. "I think people react faster. . . . So it's not necessarily the guys are faster, but the game's going quicker, and everybody's thinking a little step ahead."

Washington is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, but is just three points behind Florida in the Southeast Division. Florida is third in the East. There is a chance the Caps and Flyers could meet in the opening round of next month's Stanley Cup playoffs.

"You could probably go through a million scenarios like that," Laviolette said. "I think we're more focused on the two points right now than a playoff scenario. I haven't thought about that. I'm thinking more about the win and the two points on the road."

The Flyers are a very healthy 20-11-2 in road games.

Breakaways. Defensemen Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, and Andrej Meszaros had maintenance days, GM Paul Holmgren said, and should play Sunday. . . . Defenseman Andreas Lilja hasn't played since Feb. 16. . . . In their last 10 games, the Caps are 2 for 34 on the power play. Washington's power play has surrendered twice as many shorthanded goals (four) during that same span, and the team is 4-6 in those 10 games. . . . Ilya Bryzgalov is expected to make his eighth straight start. . . . Michal Neuvirth figures to be the starting goalie for Washington because Tomas Vokoun sat out Saturday's practice with a lower body injury suffered during warm-ups before Friday's 5-0 loss to New Jersey. Neuvirth gave up five goals on 20 shots in that game.