Skip to content
Flyers
Link copied to clipboard

Sean Couturier injured and out of Flyers’ lineup; Anthony Stolarz making 4th straight start

Top-line center Sean Couturier, who is tied for the Flyers' lead with 10 goals, will miss Saturday afternoon’s game in Buffalo because of an undisclosed lower-body injury.

Flyers center Sean Couturier, shooting the puck against Columbus on Thursday, will not play Saturday because of an injury suffered against the Blue Jackets.  YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Flyers center Sean Couturier, shooting the puck against Columbus on Thursday, will not play Saturday because of an injury suffered against the Blue Jackets. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

BUFFALO -- Top-line center Sean Couturier, who is tied for the Flyers' lead with 10 goals, will miss Saturday afternoon’s game in Buffalo because of an undisclosed lower-body injury.

Coach Dave Hakstol said Couturier suffered the injury in the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus on Thursday and said he was day to day. Couturier has 20 points in 26 games.

Claude Giroux will move from left wing to Couturier’s spot, and he will center James van Riemsdyk and Travis Konecny. Van Riemsdyk had been on the second line recently.

Since returning from a knee injury, van Riemsdyk has just one goal in eight games, so maybe playing alongside Giroux will get him jump-started.

Jordan Weal will return to the lineup Saturday; he will play right wing on the fourth line.

The 1 p.m. contest (NBC Sports Philadelphia; 97.5 The Fanatic) will start a five-game road trip for the Flyers.

Goalie Anthony Stolarz, owner of a 3.19 goals-against average and .901 save percentage, will make his fourth straight start and will oppose Sabres backup Linus Ullmark (2.71, .921).

Michal Neuvirth is expected to get the call Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg. Neuvirth (6.00, .727) has been injured most of the season and has played only one game, a 6-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Oct. 27.

Phil Varone, who was recalled from the Phantoms on Friday, is not in Saturday’s lineup.

In another note, Hakstol said a report that fired general manager Ron Hextall interfered with his coaching was not true. He said they had a good line of communication, and that Hextall allowed him to make decisions.