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Carter Hart getting another start as Flyers try to avenge 9-0 loss to Rangers; Samuel Morin in lineup

In nine March games, Hart is 2-5 with two no-decisions, a 4.61 goals-against average, and a .830 save percentage.

Flyers goaltender Carter Hart in a game against the Washington Capitals on March 7.
Flyers goaltender Carter Hart in a game against the Washington Capitals on March 7.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Carter Hart will make his second straight start Thursday when the Flyers host the New York Rangers and try to avenge last week’s 9-0 loss to the Blueshirts.

In nine March games, Hart is 2-5 with two no-decisions, a 4.61 goals-against average, and a .830 save percentage. He will be opposed by Igor Shesterkin (2.31 GAA, .921 save percentage), who will make his first appearance since being sidelined March 4 with a groin injury.

Before Thursday’s morning skate, Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said he was contemplating a change on defense and that inserting Samuel Morin into the lineup was a possibility. This evening, Morin was in the pregame skate, so he’s in.

Earlier in the day, Morin was recalled from the AHL’s Phantoms Thursday and placed on the Flyers’ taxi squad.

Morin, 25, and Shayne Gostisbehere have been paired together in the past, and they are expected to form a duo Thursday, based on the morning skate.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Morin, who was converted to left wing at the start of the season, has played well since moving back to defense for the Phantoms.

Earlier this week, Phantoms coach Scott Gordon said it “won’t hurt him” to play more AHL games after missing so much time because of injuries. But he said Morin was making good strides.

“He’s starting to get more comfortable playing [lots of] minutes and getting the feeling back for the different types of pressure you get on defense,” Gordon said. “Just the habit things he’s done his whole life, he’s getting them back now. The hardness to his game, the intimidation to his game, those things have been there. I’ll tell you, it’s so noticeable. I’m sure every [opposing] player that goes on the ice and sees him out there is wishing his shift was over and they could go against someone else.”

The Flyers need to do something to disrupt opponents camped out in front of their goalies. In five-on-five play, opponents are getting too many wide-open chances, and Flyers goalies have a .894 save percentage; the league average is .923 in those situations.

» READ MORE: Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher is in buying mode and says the team’s poor season ‘starts with me’

Stagnant offense

While the Flyers’ sagging defense has gotten most of the attention, the team’s offense has also struggled lately, scoring a total of nine goals in the last five games. The Flyers have lost four of those games.

Many players are in scoring droughts::

  1. Kevin Hayes and Michael Raffl are goalless in their last eight games.

  2. Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton are goalless in their last seven games.

  3. Nolan Patrick is goalless in his last six games, and has one goal in his last 24 games.

  4. James van Riemsdyk is goalless in his last five games.

  5. Nic Aube-Kubel is goalless in his last 15 games.

» READ MORE: Hot Rangers visit for two games with a chance to pass the Flyers in the division

Breakaways

Joel Farabee leads the Flyers with 14 goals, which tops all NHL players age 22 or younger. Twelve of his goals have come at even strength, tying him with five other players for fifth in the league. … New York’s Artemi Panarin has 26 points, including eight goals, in 18 career games against the Flyers. He has notched points in 11 of his last 12 games against the Flyers (five goals, 16 assists).