GDT: #68: Sabres at FLYERS, Saturday, Mar. 7, 2020, 7:00 p.m. ET

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MiamiScreamingEagles

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Jan 17, 2004
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BUFFALO SABRES (29-30-8) vs. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (40-20-7)
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th



BROADCAST INFORMATION
TEAMS' WEBSITES
GAME PREVIEW, NOTES and STATISTICS
TEAMS' STATISTICS
Team GPRecordPts HomeAwayGFGAPP%PK%FO%
Sabres6729-30-86619-11-410-19-419021019.174.045.8
Flyers 6740-20-78724-5-416-15-322418821.481.754.4
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
images
Possible Lineup
Lines

28 Claude Giroux -- 14 Sean Couturier -- 93 Jake Voracek
49 Joel Farabee -- 13 Kevin Hayes --
11 Travis Konecny
21 Scott Laughton -- 38 Derek Grant -- 18 Tyler Pitlick
12 Michael Raffl
-- 44 Nate Thompson -- 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Pairings
9 Ivan Provorov -- 15 Matt Niskanen
6 Travis Sanheim -- 5 Phil Myers
8 Robert Hagg -- 61 Justin Braun
Goalies
79 Carter Hart is the expected starter.
37 Brian Elliott
Power Plays
PP1: Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, Jake Voracek, Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov
PP2: Derek Grant, Kevin Hayes, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Travis Sanheim, Matt Niskanen

Injuries and Scratches

19 Nolan Patrick (migraine disorder, Sep. 26) was transferred from injured/non-roster to LTIR Nov.22. He is progressing and has participated in no-contact practices as recently as Feb. 29. GM Chuck Fletcher hoped in the next couple weeks from Feb. 24 that Patrick would get to full contact in practices.
23 Oskar Lindblom (Ewing’s sarcoma [bone cancer], Dec. 13) is on LTIR and will not return to play this season. He began treatments in early January. On Feb. 22, it was reported that his treatments are ongoing and indications are better than expected.
25 James van Riemsdyk (broken right index finger, Mar. 4) will be out 4-to-6 weeks from the date of the injury.

53 Shayne Gostisbehere (healthy) could be scratched. He was injured on Jan. 7 then had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Jan.14. He returned for one game on Feb. 6 then developed what was reported as stiffness in the left knee and pain from scar tissue the following day at practice. He was sent to the AHL on Feb. 20 for two games of conditioning and recalled on Feb. 24. He has since practiced with the team but has yet to play in a game.
55 Sam Morin (torn right ACL during AHL conditioning stint, Nov. 6) is on LTIR and expected out for the rest of the season.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Athletic, The

Courier Post of South Jersey
Hockey Buzz
NBC Sports Philadelphia
Web site -- Flyers
NHL.com
Adam Kimelman's Twitter -- Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) | Twitter
Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer
Web site -- Philadelphia Flyers
Sam Carchidi's Twitter -- Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) | Twitter

BUFFALO SABRES
th
Possible Lineup
Lines

53 Jeff Skinner -- 9 Jack Eichel -- 23 Sam Reinhart
68 Victor Olofsson -- 90 Marcus Johansson -- 95 Dominik Kahun

13 Jimmy Vesey -- 27 Curtis Lazar -- 17 Wayne Simmonds
28 Zemgus Girgensons
-- 22 Johan Larsson -- 21 Kyle Okposo
Pairings
John Gilmour or (33 Colin Miller) -- 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
26 Rasmus Dahlin -- 62 Brandon Montour
19 Jake McCabe -- 10 Henri Jokiharju
Goalies
35 Linus Ullmark
40 Carter Hutton is the expected starter.

Power plays
PP1: Victor Olofsson, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Ristolainen, Rasmus Dahlin
PP2: Wayne Simmonds, Marcus Johansson, Kyle Okposo, Jeff Skinner, Brandon Montour

Injuries and Scratches
17 Vladimir Sobotka (right knee surgery, Nov. 27) is on injured reserve.
24 Lawrence Pilut (illness) did not skate on Friday. He will not play.
33 Colin Miller (healthy) could be scratched or replace Lawrence Pilut (illness).

48 Matt Hunwick (recurring neck injury, Aug. 28) is on LTIR and likely out for the entire season.
67 Michael Frolik (healthy) could be scratched.
72 Tage Thompson (upper body, Nov. 16) is on injured reserve.
-- John Gilmour (available) was recalled on Saturday and could be inserted as a D replacement.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Athletic, The
Web site -- The Athletic
John Vogl's Twitter -- John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) | Twitter
Joe Yerdon's Twitter -- Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdon) | Twitter
Buffalo News
Web site -- Sabres - The Buffalo News
Mike Harrington's Twitter -- Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) | Twitter
Lance Lysowski's Twitter -- Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) | Twitter
NHL.com
Heather Engel's Twitter -- Heather Engel (@engelheather) | Twitter
Olean Times-Herald
Spectrum News
Ted Goldberg's Twitter -- Ted Goldberg (@TedGoldbergTV) | Twitter

FLYERS' UPCOMING SCHEDULE (subject to change)

DateOpponentTime (ET)Television
Tuesday, March 10 vs. Boston 7:00 pm NBCSN, SN, NBCSP, NESN
Thursday, March 12 at Tampa Bay 7:00 pm ESPN+, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, SUN, NBCSP
Saturday, March 14 vs. Minnesota 1:00 pm NBCSP, FS-N
Sunday, March 15 vs. Edmonton1:00 pm NHLN, SN, TVAS, NBCSP
Tuesday, March 17vs. St. Louis 7:00 pm NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP
Friday, March 20 at Dallas 8:30 pm ESPN+, FS-SW, NBCSP
Saturday, March 21 at Nashville 8:00 pm ESPN+, FS-TN, NBCSP+
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

FROM THE PAST

Flyers are 11-0-2 in the past 13 home games in this series.


GAME DAY THREAD MUSIC
"Shake Hands with Beef" by Primus


 
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AdamParrot

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Mar 10, 2015
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And btw I like Farabee on TOP6 more than Laughton. Yes, with Laughton they scored goals, but else they werent so dominant I think. Farabee knows where is his place in that line, where he can be and he will have a lot of scoring chances. I love how he knows where he should be.

And Laughton is just better in bottom-six for me. He just hasnt that skill/talent for TOP6, but he is great in bottom-six. He can be difference maker in 3rd or 4th line. And as we know, every line matters. Depth is important in playoffs.
 
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Tripod

I hate this team
Aug 12, 2008
78,751
86,033
Nova Scotia
If we happened to be healthy going into the playoffs, some good players are going to be scratched. That's the depth we finally have.

But the depth players ALSO know this and I believe it is serving us well as players are busting their asses every shift it seems. No one is taking shifts off. Feet are moving ass the time. The tempo that we are playing at is WAY higher than it was thru the middle of the year.

And luckily, if an injury occurs like JVR, we have people ready to step in. And you could see Farabee busting his ass to prove he deserves to be there and will need to continue to do so.

Laughton...who most would agree was the 3rd wheel on the 2nd line with Hayes and TK....continued to produce on the 3rd line which is great to see. The 2nd line had their chances just no finish(especially Bee). But this game vs Sabres, the 2nd line could score 2-3 goals if they play like they did last game.

So nice to get production from all lines. Hope it continues.

Oh...and keep rubbing Hagg's belly! Speaking of Hagg....went 19 games with only 1 GA 5vs5. Last 9 games on ice for 6 GA 5vs5.
 

Domino666

“20 years away”
Aug 18, 2011
10,423
5,062
Wasted his entire prime on a mediocre Flyers team and now he has to finish his career on shitty teams like new Jersey and Buffalo.
I honestly wouldn’t mind them signing Simmer next year for cheap, just doesn’t feel right seeing him in another blouse, BUT that’s my heart talking not my brain
 
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deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
49,215
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And btw I like Farabee on TOP6 more than Laughton. Yes, with Laughton they scored goals, but else they werent so dominant I think. Farabee knows where is his place in that line, where he can be and he will have a lot of scoring chances. I love how he knows where he should be.

And Laughton is just better in bottom-six for me. He just hasnt that skill/talent for TOP6, but he is great in bottom-six. He can be difference maker in 3rd or 4th line. And as we know, every line matters. Depth is important in playoffs.

I wish Farabee was a couple years older and 20 lbs of muscle heavier.

He has everything except the mass to push through contact, which is a bigger problem for Farabee because his game is more Lindblom than Giroux. He's not the ultra-quick finesse forward who stays out of dirty areas and relies on pure skill.

Part of his problem finishing plays is probably rookie jitters, but a lot is also that he gets pushed off the puck a lot, Couts and JVR can score in crowds b/c of both their strength and good hands.

Notice AV was sheltering him, he only played 11:31 despite being the 2LW.

I think he'll be MIA in games where they have the lead and AV doesn't want him out there trying to contest for pucks along the boards and in the corners in the D-zone against an opposing cycle.
 
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Tripod

I hate this team
Aug 12, 2008
78,751
86,033
Nova Scotia
Unfortunately he just isn't good anymore even in a limited bottom 6 role. We'd be wasting a roster spot.
Yeah he would be....or should be...a healthy scratch with the lineup we have now. And would be next year too. The energy and skating of NAK and Pitlick is more than Simmonds gave us the last few years.
 

flyerslducks

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
12,737
13,584
And btw I like Farabee on TOP6 more than Laughton. Yes, with Laughton they scored goals, but else they werent so dominant I think. Farabee knows where is his place in that line, where he can be and he will have a lot of scoring chances. I love how he knows where he should be.

And Laughton is just better in bottom-six for me. He just hasnt that skill/talent for TOP6, but he is great in bottom-six. He can be difference maker in 3rd or 4th line. And as we know, every line matters. Depth is important in playoffs.

100000% this. This is what I and a few others were trying to get at. It just makes us a better team. Putting laughton down in the bottom 6 makes it so much better. Farabee is much more suited for the top 6 than laughton. AV has even acknowledged that and says he needs to play there. Not saying laughton can't do it..we know he can now with the chemsitry he has with hayes. Farabee could've had a few goals last game so clearly he is not in a situation where he can't succeed or not help the team. Will be interesting to see what would happen IF farabee is playing great and JVR comes back. Would almost have to think that thompson would sit and laughton would go back to center? I don't see who else can play center..its either him or raffl and I think laughton might be better.

jvr-grant-pitlick
raffl-laughton-nak

man i love that 4th line so much. 4th line can give you so many great minutes in the playoffs.
 
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flyerslducks

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
12,737
13,584
Yeah he would be....or should be...a healthy scratch with the lineup we have now. And would be next year too. The energy and skating of NAK and Pitlick is more than Simmonds gave us the last few years.
ya it sucks. I wish he had some wheels because he is made for playoff hockey. Just doesn't have the wheels anymore.
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
Sponsor
Sep 28, 2014
76,383
122,699
Simmonds best shot at a Cup now will be after he retires in a coaching/executive capacity. Hes not winning one as a player.
 

YEM

Registered User
Mar 7, 2010
5,718
2,697
Imagine what we'd have if we traded Simmonds a year before his value plummeted...

Eichel seems to be banged up/playing hurt, so this should be an easy W which means this could be one of those games we're due for where every bounce and call goes against us.
 

Jettany

Registered User
Feb 21, 2018
2,625
1,396
Wasted his entire prime on a mediocre Flyers team and now he has to finish his career on shitty teams like new Jersey and Buffalo.

Exactly why, looking back on this summer, the moves Fletcher made (players and staff) were so important. G, Jake even Coots have to be at the point where they feel their prime years are dwindling to a precious few. To continue to ride the rebuild probably had to sour on them at some point. Youth playing time was hurt but the players themselves are still in fold and will be a HUGE part of the next decade.
 
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deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
49,215
21,617
Well, Ron really couldn't and shouldn't have made similar moves.

Until Hart arrived, this team didn't have a shot, we've seen that this year, when Hart struggles on the road, the team struggles, when Elliott doesn't bring his good game, the team struggles.

It's not that they need great goal tending, just average goal tending, the 2017-18 team is a good example, everyone likes to blame Hakstol but against the Pens in the PO - xGA 15.33, actual goals allowed 28. A good team on a roll was simply deep sixed by awful goaltending - and what got Hextall fired was not addressing the problem that summer - the goaltending remained putrid in 2018-19 until Hart was called up.

But that was Hextall's dilemma, to improve the goaltending in 2018-19 he'd have to bring in a starting caliber goaltender, and they would demand a big FA contract (or a major trade) - but that could result in a Bryz/Bob situation where the promising young goaltender gets buried. The alternative was to bring in a backup with upside and hope to get a good season before Hart came up. Instead he went with Elliott/Neuvirth.
 
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Tripod

I hate this team
Aug 12, 2008
78,751
86,033
Nova Scotia
Gotta win this one.....schedule upcoming is against lots of good teams:

Boston
TB
Wild
Oilers
Blues
Stars
Preds
NYI

8 straight against playoff teams.....luckily only 3 on the road. But still going to be tough games.
 
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