Flyers-Oilers: Game 52 Preview

10-21-2017_FlyersvsOilers_2ndedit_credKateFrese-22

(Photo: Kate Frese)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers are currently on a six-game winning streak, split between both sides of the bye week. They have returned from the eight-day break by winning three games in four days, their last one coming in overtime on Thursday in Boston.

The Flyers come home for the next five games, starting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon, where they welcome Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and former head coach Ken Hitchcock.

Game time is at 1 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P Edmonton Oilers GP G A P
Claude Giroux 51 15 38 53 Connor McDavid 49 29 44 73
Jake Voracek 51 11 31 42 Leon Draisaitl 50 27 34 61
Sean Couturier 49 19 22 41 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 50 16 30 46
Travis Konecny 51 13 16 29 Alex Chiasson 41 17 7 24
Wayne Simmonds 51 15 8 23 Darnell Nurse 50 6 18 24
 
Player to Watch
23 Oskar Lindblom 97 Connor McDavid
Last 5 Games: 3 G, 2 A, 5 P, +5 Last 5 Games: 2 G, 4 A, 6 P, -5
 
Oskar Lindblom snapped a 29-game goalless drought against Boston on Jan. 16. Since then, he has goals in three of the last five games. His game-tying goal on the power play on Thursday came at a huge spot. His role has increased recently and he's playing so well in the dirty areas, that the numbers are going to start coming around soon too.
 
Whenever you mention the Oilers, you don't get much farther without saying Connor McDavid's name. McDavid is tied for third in the NHL with 73 points. His lethal combination of speed and skill make him a truly special player that can turn a game around at any moment.
 
Goalie Matchup
79 Carter Hart 33 Cam Talbot
14 GP, 8-5-1, 2.48 GAA, .922 SV% 27 GP, 9-13-2, 3.27 GAA, .894 SV%

Carter Hart gets the start again for the seventh time in eight games. Hart has won five straight starts, becoming just the 10th different goalie to win five straight starts before his 21st birthday in NHL history. The last to do it was a goalie that Hart has drawn some comparisons to, Carey Price.

Cam Talbot went from being Edmonton's No. 1 to the backup with the emergence of Mikko Koskinen. He will get the start against the Flyers on Saturday, though, his first since being pulled in Carolina on Jan. 20, allowing three goals on 15 shots in the first 11 minutes of the game. Talbot has just two wins since Dec. 7, one of them a 39-save shutout of Anaheim on Jan. 6.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: Michal Neuvirth, Brian Elliott, Corban Knight

Scratches: Christian Folin, Jori Lehtera

Left Wing Center Right Wing
25 James van Riemsdyk 28 Claude Giroux 11 Travis Konecny
23 Oskar Lindblom 14 Sean Couturier 93 Jake Voracek
21 Scott Laughton 19 Nolan Patrick 17 Wayne Simmonds
44 Phil Varone 24 Mikhail Vorobyev 12 Michael Raffl
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 6 Travis Sanheim  
53 Shayne Gostisbehere 47 Andrew MacDonald  
8 Robert Hagg 3 Radko Gudas  
Goalie    
79 Carter Hart    

Lineup Notes

Originally, it was expected Shayne Gostisbehere would miss Saturday's game, but after a solid practice on Friday, he slots back into the lineup. Christian Folin comes out. 

Oilers Projected Lineup

Injuries: Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera

Scratches: Brad Malone, Alex Petrovic

Left Wing Center Right Wing
27 Milan Lucic 97 Connor McDavid 8 Ty Rattie
22 Tobias Rieder 29 Leon Draisaitl 39 Alex Chiasson
16 Jujhar Khaira 93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 44 Zack Kassian
12 Colby Cave 28 Kyle Brodziak 98 Jesse Puljujarvi
Defense    
25 Darnell Nurse 6 Adam Larsson  
4 Kris Russell 83 Matt Benning  
26 Brandon Manning 5 Kevin Gravel  
Goalie    
33 Cam Talbot    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (29th, 22nd at home), Oilers (T-13th, 8th on road)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (T-28th, 25th at home), Oilers (25th, 29th on road) 
  • Recent History vs. Oilers
    • Oct. 21, 2017 – Flyers 2, Oilers 1 (at PHI)
    • Dec. 6, 2017 – Flyers 4, Oilers 2 (at EDM)
    • Dec. 14, 2018 – Oilers 4, Flyers 1 (at EDM)
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Oilers
    • Claude Giroux – 14 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 16 P
    • Jake Voracek – 23 GP, 4 G, 18 A, 22 P
    • James van Riemsdyk – 13 GP, 5 G, 4 A, 9 P
    • Wayne Simmonds – 23 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 P
  • Milestone Watch
    • Radko Gudas needs two points to reach 100 for his career.

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

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