The Flyers are back in action today after picking up a 4-3 on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers. Next up is the Buffalo Sabres as we have the first game of a back to back and the first of 6 games in 9 nights.
It’s a 1:00pm start so it’s a good day to crack open some cold ones a little earlier than usual. This will be the third meeting between the Flyers and Sabres with the teams spilling the first two.
Even better news for the Flyers as Jake Voracek, Oskar Lindblom, and Scott Laughton all look to draw back into the lineup after coming off the COVID list. It also looks like Justin Braun will be back in the lineup as well. Brian Elliott gets the nod in net for the second straight game as he looks to continue his solid start to the season.
As for the Buffalo Sabres they come in having lost 5 of their last 7 games including a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Star Center and Captain Jack Eichel is a game time decision after having a lower body injury and being a late scratch on Thursday night. Goaltender Linus Ullmark will miss both games this weekend with an injury as well. Forward Jeff Skinner has gotten off to a rough start this season and has found himself in the dog house and has been benched for the last three games. Skinner could see himself back in the lineup but rumors are if he continues to be benched he may asked to be traded. It’s one thing to sit the guy for struggling for a few games but when you’re paying him as much as they are he needs to be on the ice.
The Flyers will have to play smart today and stay out the penalty box because the Sabres come in with the 1st ranked powerplay in the league. The Rangers scored 3 powerplay goals on Wednesday and granted the Flyers regular penalty killers weren’t out there it’s still not a great sign. Hopefully today the boys are a little more disciplined so they don’t get burned by the Sabres powerplay unit.
I like the Flyers today as the Sabres come in wounded and have not been playing all that great. We’re getting some key guys back and I think the team will build off of that and the strong performance on Thursday night.
Prediction: Flyers win 4-2
Start Time: 1:00pm on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Location: KeyBank Center
Season Series:
Both teams have come away with a win in the first two meetings this season. The Sabres beat the Flyers 6-1 back on January 18th and then the next night the Flyers beat Buffalo 3-0.
Projected Flyers Lines:
Forward Lines:
JVR – Couturier – Farabee
Giroux – Hayes – Patrick
Lindblom – Laughton – Voracek
Raffl– Bunnaman –NAK
Defensive pairs:
Provorov – Gostisbehere
Sanheim – Braun
Hagg – Gustafsson
Projected Sabres Lines:
Forwards:
Olofsson-Sheahan-Reinhart
Hall-Staal-Cozens
Asplund-Eakin-Okposo
Mittelstadt-Lazar-Thompson
Defensive Pairs:
Dahlin-Montour
Irwin-Miller
Bryson-Jokiharju
Projected Starting Goalies
Brian Elliott(4-1-0, 2.38GAA .922SV%)
Carter Hutton(1-4-1, 3.24GAA .889SV%)
-Walsh
Featured image-SportsChat