PHILADELPHIA -- Forgive the Washington Capitals for seeming insensitive, but the news that Michal Neuvirth is ill and won't be able to play Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers isn't exactly devastating.

It's the exact opposite.

Of course, the Capitals would prefer to have Neuvirth healthy and with them on this trip to Philadelphia, but the fact that he's ill means Braden Holtby will make his eighth straight start and second in as many days.

That's good news for a team that has won two straight and five of seven, including a 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, due in large part to Holtby's 33 saves.

Tuesday's full practice proved to be a costly one for the St. Louis Blues.

Days after placing rookie wing Vladimir Tarasenko on injured reserve with a concussion and facial laceration sustained during Wednesday's game at the Colorado Avalanche, two more Blues forwards were hurt during practice.

Wednesday, the team announced that wing Andy McDonald has been placed on injured reserve with a left knee injury. McDonald is listed as week-to-week, and wing Alex Steen is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

"One guy is day-to-day, so it's not a big deal," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "The other guy is week-to-week. It happens. We've got lots of guys coming in that are hungry, guys that have played in the NHL. So we shouldn't miss a beat."

Hitchock said he has not ruled out Steen for Thursday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

VOORHEES, N.J. -- The first player on the ice for the Flyers at their morning skate Wednesday was forward Matt Read, which was odd because he's not expected back for six weeks due to torn muscles in the left side of his rib cage sustained Feb. 20.

After Read skated and shot a few pucks, the second-year forward said he's far from making any kind of speedy recovery.

"It's pretty painful," he told reporters. "I guess it could be a lot worse. … I can skate but can't do anything else beside that."

VOORHEES, N.J. -- The news of Simon Gagne returning to the Philadelphia Flyers added a bit of energy to the locker room following Wednesday's morning skate.

"It's exciting," Danny Briere said. "It's fun to see an ex-teammate come back in the fold. Having someone you know, that you played with, that you fought battles with before, it's fun to have him back on your side."

The Flyers acquired Gagne from the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday for a 2013 fourth-round draft pick, and likely will have him in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN2).

The Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday placed goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Oilers coach Ralph Krueger told the media Wednesday morning that Khabibulin tweaked his groin on the last shootout shot of a 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 23. He then aggravated the injury in overtime during a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

The Washington Capitals on Wednesday recalled goalie Philipp Grubauer from the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey.

As a rookie with the Hershey Bears this season, the 21-year-old has posted a 6-4-1 record with a 2.10 goals-against average, a .928 save percentage and one shutout in 12 games.

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Newly acquired forward Simon Gagne wasn't on the ice with the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, but it's likely he'll play when the team hosts the Washington Capitals.

Without Gagne, the Flyers skated with the same lines they had in Monday's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The New Jersey Devils on Wednesday recalled forward Tim Sestito from the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Albany.

Sestito has played in 63 games for the Devils since the 2009-10 season. He has three assists and a minus-12 rating in that span. He played 18 games in 2011-12 and collected no points. In 50 games for the Albany Devils this season, the 6-foot, 195-pound center has seven goals and 20 points.

At 16:41 of the third period in the Avalanche/Sharks game, video review determined that Colorado forward Chuck Kobasew batted the puck with his stick across the goal line in a legal fashion. Good Goal Colorado.

At 14:05 of the first period in the Flames/Wild game, video review conclusively determined that Minnesota forward Zach Parise's shot did not completely cross the goal line. No Goal Minnesota.