Flyers: Brian Boucher hopes to see action during Leighton's injury

Flyers backup and career hard-luck goaltender Michael Leighton, expected to make his second start of the season Tuesday in Winnipeg, will instead spend it at home rehabilitating an injury.

General manager Paul Holmgren announced Leighton will miss 7 to 10 days with what Holmgren described in NHLspeak as an "upper body injury."

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Since Leighton spent Saturday's game against Carolina using mostly his gluteus muscles on the bench, it would figure that the injury likely occurred during an optional practice Friday. The team did not confirm that or offer any other details.

Phantoms goalie Brian Boucher - who split time with Leighton through a wild 2009-10 season in which both were injured along with alleged starter Ray Emery - was recalled and traveled to Toronto with the team Sunday. Boucher might be in line for a start Tuesday against the Jets.

"It's all kind of happening fast; getting traded back to the organization (from Carolina), going down (to the Phantoms) and playing and now getting recalled," said Boucher, who is in his fourth separate stint with the Flyers organization. "Obviously, I'm excited. I've been able to go down there and play some games, and I feel good about my game right now. We'll see what happens.

"The expectations are to be ready at all times, be a good teammate and if I get tapped on the shoulder to play, go and give the team a chance to win. That's what I'm going to do."

Leighton, 31, allowed all five goals on 26 shots in a 5-1 loss in Tampa Jan. 27. Boucher is 2-4 with a bad Phantoms team, with a 2.71 goals-against average and .908 saves percentage.

Flyers starter Ilya Bryzgalov is expected to play against the Maple Leafs Monday. He has played in 11 of the 12 Flyers games this season. Trenton Titans goalie Cal Heeter was sent back to Adirondack to fill in for Boucher there.

He's hoping he's not back just to oversee some practices.

"For a guy that hasn't played in eight months, and coming off shoulder surgery, you don't know what to expect," Boucher said. "But I've felt much, much better in the last three games I played. Getting going again ... I feel like I'm dialed in.

"If I get called upon, I feel good about my game and hopefully I can go out there and give the team a chance to win."