Flyers-Devils: Game 48 Preview

Kevin Durso

April 25 2021

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

The end of the 2020-21 season is closing in. Nine games remain for the Flyers, as they bring a disappointing season to an end.

Five of those nine games, including the next four in a row, will come against the New Jersey Devils, who come to Philadelphia on Sunday night for the first game.

Game time is at 6 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	New Jersey Devils	GP	G	A	P
James van Riemsdyk	47	16	21	37	Jack Hughes	47	11	14	25
Jake Voracek	44	9	26	35	Pavel Zacha	41	10	15	25
Claude Giroux	45	11	22	33	Jesper Bratt	37	5	20	25
Sean Couturier	36	13	20	33	Yegor Sharangovich	45	11	12	23
Joel Farabee	46	15	16	31	Miles Wood	47	15	7	22

Wade Allison continues to impress by being around the net and generating scoring chances. He only has one goal to show for it so far, but that will change with continued opportunities.

Jack Hughes sits tied for the team lead with 25 points on the season and has the skill to look dangerous at any time. Look for Hughes to potentially be helped by open ice on transition plays.

Brian Elliott is back in goal on Sunday evening. Elliott was outstanding in Thursday's win for the Flyers, making 33 saves in the victory. He'll look to continue on a recent string of solid games.

No formal announcement on a goal for the Devils, but Mackenzie Blackwood seems likely to start. Blackwood has lost his last nine starts, two coming in overtime, going back to March 28. One of his recent wins came on March 23, when he made 30 saves in a win over the Flyers.

Projected Lineups

Flyers Scratches: Morgan Frost (injury), Carter Hart (injury), Tanner Laczynski (injury), Shayne Gostisbehere (healthy), Nolan Patrick (healthy)

Devils Scratches: Janne Kuokkanen (injury), Ty Smith (injury), P.K. Subban (COVID protocol), Jonas Siegenthaler (COVID protocol), Nolan Foote (healthy), Mikhail Maltsev (healthy), Aaron Dell (healthy)

Lineup Notes

Flyers: No changes to the forwards for the Flyers. Shayne Gostisbehere was not on the ice for the morning skate, so it's assumed he's out for Sunday.
Devils: The Devils are not expected to make changes to the lineup, but it is possible that Janne Kuokkanen could return to the lineup. He is a game-time decision.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (20th), Devils (29th)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (30th), Devils (31st)
Recent History vs. Devils
- Jan. 26, 2021 – Flyers 5, Devils 3 (at NJ)
- Jan. 28, 2021 – Flyers 3, Devils 1 (at NJ)
- March 23, 2021 – Devils 4, Flyers 3 (at PHI)
Flyers Leaders vs. Devils
- Claude Giroux – 54 GP, 12 G, 38 A, 50 P
- James van Riemsdyk – 37 GP, 16 G, 13 A, 29 P
- Joel Farabee – 4 GP, 3 G, 0 A, 3 P
- Jake Voracek – 44 GP, 7 G, 26 A, 33 P
- Brian Elliott – 13 GP, 7-6-0, 2.79 GAA, .936 SV%
Milestone Watch
- Claude Giroux needs two power-play goals to pass Eric Lindros for 8th all-time in Flyers history.
- Claude Giroux needs two points to pass Brian Propp for 3rd all-time in Flyers history.