NEWARK, N.J. -- Dustin Byfuglien is questionable for Tuesday night's game against New Jersey after he left practice early Monday with a persistent injury.
The All-Star defenseman has a lower-body injury that caused him to miss Wednesday night’s game at Carolina.
"He's made some pretty miraculous recoveries," Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said after Monday's workout.
Byfuglien is third on the team in scoring with 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists).
The Thrashers recalled Noah Welch from AHL Chicago as a precaution. Welch, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, has appeared in two games for the Thrashers this season in two different stints.
Face guard for Thorburn
Forward Chris Thorburn practiced with a face guard Tuesday to protect several stitches in his lip. Thoburn was cut accidentally by the stick of Philadelphia's Danny Briere on Saturday night, he said.
“I’m getting used to it,” Thorburn said.
The guard, made of clear plastic, covers just the mouth area.
Kane shows off speed
Evander Kane started the Thrashers' dramatic comeback against the Flyers on Saturday night with his goal 1:09 into the third period. After a faceoff in the defensive zone, Kane took the puck all the way up ice before he beat goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It was the first of four third-period goals for the Thrashers in a 5-4 overtime win.
“It changed everything,” Ramsay said. “In the second period he showed flashes that he was into it. To me that’s what we need to see from him. He was showing flashes that he was skating. He was attacking. He wanted the puck. … He’s starting to get pucks and go up the ice with that kind of speed. He’s a pretty hard man to contain when he’s skating up the ice like that.”
A scoring change Monday gave an assist to Ron Hainsey on the goal; it was originally scored as unassisted.
Pavelec back in goal
Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal against the Devils on Tuesday night. Pavelec stopped 9 of 12 shots against the Flyers before being replaced by Chris Mason. In relief, Mason stopped 11 of 12 shots, allowing only a power-play goal, for the victory.
Dvorak on the mend
Radek Dvorak, acquired at the trade deadline on Feb. 28, has been slowed by a hamstring injury since joining the Thrashers. He does not have a point in six games but Ramsay said he has seen signs the forward is on the mend.
“He looked better [Saturday] night,” Ramsay said. “He looked pretty good again [Monday]. We are starting to see the skating. We need that. The way we like to play should be a way that suits his game. As long has he’s feeling healthy, it should be a good fit for both of us.”
Dvorak, a 15-year NHL veteran, had seven goals and 14 assists for Florida this season prior to the trade.
No Pronger
The Thrashers will not face Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger this season, even with two more games to be played later this month. Pronger missed Saturday night's game with a right hand injury. The team announced Monday that Pronger will have surgery Tuesday and could miss three to four weeks.
The Thrashers host the Flyers on Thursday night and travel back to Philadelphia for a March 31 game.
Pronger also missed the Jan. 14 contest between the teams.
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