Flyers-Sabres: Game 42 Preview

12-14-2017_FlyersvsSabres_2nd_credKateFrese

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After hitting the halfway point of the season on Saturday, the Flyers don't get much time to enjoy their 6-3 win over the Blues. Less than 24 hours in fact.

The Flyers are back on the ice on Sunday afternoon as well, facing the Buffalo Sabres as they close out a four-game homestand and head into their bye week.

Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P Buffalo Sabres GP G A P
Claude Giroux 41 14 37 51 Evander Kane 41 16 19 35
Jake Voracek 41 8 41 49 Jack Eichel 41 15 20 35
Sean Couturier 41 21 19 40 Ryan O'Reilly 40 9 16 25
Shayne Gostisbehere 38 8 23 31 Jason Pominville 41 8 11 19
Wayne Simmonds 41 14 11 25 Kyle Okposo 39 6 13 19
 
Player to Watch
28 Claude Giroux 15 Jack Eichel
Last 5 Games: 1 G, 8 A, 9 P, E Last 5 Games: 2 G, 1 A, 3 P, -3
 
Claude Giroux has had three multi-point games in his last four games, and the nine points in his last five games have allowed him to quietly move through the ranks to be among the NHL's top scorers. With the exception of Tuesday's game against the Penguins, Giroux has points in nine of the last 10 games, including five multi-point games. In particular, he is racking up the assists, picking up 16 since Dec. 16. 
 
Jack Eichel, the highly-touted second overall pick comes back in the Philadelphia. Eichel has been held without a point in his last three games, but can quickly become a force at any time. It seems that lately when he is scoring, it comes in bunches. He had two goals against New Jersey on Dec. 29, two goals against the Flyers — albeit empty-net goals — on Dec. 22, and a hat trick on Dec. 15 against Carolina.
 
Goalie Matchup
30 Michal Neuvirth 40 Robin Lehner
2-5-1, 2.67 GAA, .915 SV% 9-15-6, 2.90 GAA, .911 SV%

It is finally time for Michal Neuvirth to get a start. Aside from coming in to face Pittsburgh in relief of Brian Elliott in the third period on Tuesday, Neuvirth has been working his way back from injury and on the bench waiting for a game. For the first time in 16 games, Elliott gets a game off and Neuvirth gets a chance.

Robin Lehner's last start is one he would like to forget. He allowed six goals on 17 shots in two periods against Minnesota before being pulled from the game. Otherwise, Lehner has actually been pretty solid, even if the results have not gone his way. He made 39 saves in the Winter Classic in a 3-2 overtime loss, and at least 30 saves in each of his four games before Thursday's rough start against Minnesota, including a 33-save game in a win over the Flyers on Dec. 22.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches: Taylor Leier, Dale Weise, Travis Sanheim

Left Wing Center Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux 14 Sean Couturier 11 Travis Konecny
12 Michael Raffl 51 Valtteri Filppula 93 Jake Voracek
40 Jordan Weal 19 Nolan Patrick 17 Wayne Simmonds
15 Jori Lehtera 21 Scott Laughton 56 Tyrell Goulbourne
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 53 Shayne Gostisbehere  
8 Robert Hagg 47 Andrew MacDonald  
23 Brandon Manning 3 Radko Gudas  
Goalie    
30 Michal Neuvirth    

Lineup Notes

The Flyers will go with the same lineup as on Saturday afternoon.

Sabres Projected Lineup

Scratches: Jordan Nolan, Victor Antipin, Justin Falk

Left Wing Center Right Wing
9 Evander Kane 15 Jack Eichel 23 Sam Reinhart
28 Zemgus Girgensons 90 Ryan O'Reilly 21 Kyle Okposo
20 Scott Wilson 71 Evan Rodrigues 29 Jason Pominville
22 Johan Larsson 10 Jacob Josefson 67 Benoit Pouliot
Defense    
6 Marco Scandella 55 Rasmus Ristolainen  
4 Josh Gorges 47 Zach Bogosian  
19 Jake McCabe 82 Nathan Beaulieu  
Goalie    
40 Robin Lehner    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (13th, T-17th at home), Sabres (30th, 28th on road)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (29th, 30th at home), Blues (22nd, 28th on road) 
  • Recent History vs. Sabres
    • Dec. 14, 2017 – Flyers 2, Sabres 1 (at PHI)
    • Dec. 22, 2017 – Sabres 4, Flyers 2 (at BUF)
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Sabres
    • Claude Giroux – 32 GP, 5 G, 24 A, 29 P
    • Jake Voracek – 25 GP, 3 G, 14 A, 17 P
    • Valtteri Filppula – 26 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 P
    • Michal Neuvirth – 8 GP, 4-2-0, 3.27 GAA
  • Milestone Watch
    • Andrew MacDonald will be playing in his 500th NHL game today.

Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

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