NHL

Flyers’ Jakub Voracek still skating after scoring title

Flyers’ Jakub Voracek still skating after scoring title
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There aren’t many reasons to watch the Philadelphia Flyers final seven games of the regular season.

In fact, there is probably just one.

While the team slogs toward the merciful completion of a lost year, it should at least be fun to see if Jakub Voracek can become the first player in the organization’s history to win the scoring title.

Entering Thursday’s games, the forward was nestled in a three-way tie for the scoring lead with 74 points along with the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and the Islanders’ John Tavares.

Although many fans and players around the league will be paying attention to the race, don’t count Voracek as one of them.

“I don’t want to think about it (and) I don’t think my game will change,” Voracek told reporters on Wednesday morning before he assisted on Claude Giroux’s goal that night during 4-1 victory over the Blackhawks. “I will try and play my game the way I have played the last seven, eight games. I will make the defense work hard every single shift.

“If it’s going to come, it’s going to come.”

The one disadvantage Voracek has is Crosby and Tavares each have more games left to play this season. The Penguins have nine as the Islanders have eight.

Surprisingly, no Flyer has ever won the scoring title. Eric Lindros finished tied with Jaromir Jagr in points in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season but Jagr earned the title because he scored more goals than Lindros.

Voracek is also chasing after the assists title. He is second in the league with 53 and trails the Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom by one.

“I think he’s just playing hockey,” Craig Berube said after the Chicago game. “I think he’s trying to win games and trying to produce for us like he should. I don’t think (the points race) changes his mind set. He’s going to be the same player that he’s been all year.”