WASHINGTON - To put it delicately, Patrick Thoresen is one tough nut.

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On Friday night, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren shocked people in his post-game scrum when he said the former Edmonton Oilers winger might need surgery on his testicle after Thoresen valiantly dove to block a shot by Washington Capitals defenceman Mike Green 61/2 minutes into the third period.

But, after an ultrasound Saturday, Thoresen was told there was no major damage and he might even suit up this afternoon in Game 2.

If anybody wants to know what makes hockey players tick, they only had to watch Thoresen writhing in agony on the ice after Green's ripper.

He was still there when Alex Ovechkin picked up the puck and relayed it again to Green for a second blast on Flyers goaltender Marty Biron that tied the score 4-4.

"My groin area is sore and swollen right now ... I can't really walk properly. It hurts," Thoresen said in a massive understatement.

That sounds like he'll be watching today. How can you skate if you can't walk? But hockey players' pain thresholds are off the charts, so who knows? Green was so concerned when he found out Thoresen had been taken to hospital that he tracked down Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin to pass along his good wishes.

"He left a nice message for me," said an appreciative Thoresen, who played Friday on a line with Mike Richards and Joffrey Lupul. "That was very classy of him." Green's slapper was so hard, Thoresen's cup couldn't protect him. He was leaving the door open that he could play, although the chances are probably less than 50-50.

"It's whether I can stand the pain. I'll keep icing it and we'll see," said the Norwegian forward. "I consider myself lucky. It could have hit me in the face." The referees didn't blow the whistle, for that very reason. There was no blood. They didn't know where the Flyers forward had been hit. Neither did Thoresen's teammates.

"I thought it was above his knee where there is no padding, at first," said Flyers defenceman Kimmo Timonen.

"But you get a puck to that area it, uh, hurts. I can demonstrate for you, if you like," joked Timonen, faking a punch at a reporter's groin.

"He is one tough Scandinavian," said the Finnish-born Timonen, who did question the refs on why they didn't stop play. It left them two men down because the Caps were already on a power play.

"I did ask the referee a couple of plays later and he said if you can see the puck hit below the waist, they won't be blowing the whistle. If it was upper-body, they stop it. That sounds fair to me." Timonen whistled softly as he thought of Thoresen's pain.

"I can only imagine how bad that felt. Hopefully, he can keep his testicles." Sounds like he will. Good news for him and the Flyers, who've loved his work since they got him.

"I'm sad to say I didn't know a lot about him because he was a Western Conferenc

e player," admitted Flyers coach John Stevens.

"But he's a quick study. You tell him something once and it's the last time you have to tell him. He's a well-rounded player, much stronger than his size would indicate." ON THE BENCH: Former Oilers captain Jason Smith had a nasty cut on his nose. "Puck, first shift of the game. Good thing the puck hit me flat," said Smith.