Slight change to Flyers’ lines heading into Ottawa
Jake Voracek was moved up on a line with Claude Giroux and Joel Farabee during morning skate. JVR moved to Kevin Hayes' line with Carsen Twarynski.
KANATA, Ont. -- When Alain Vigneault juggled the Flyers’ lines midway through Wednesday night’s game, he put Jake Voracek alongside Claude Giroux and Michael Raffl. At the morning skate ahead of Friday night’s game against Ottawa, Voracek and Giroux were together again.
Joel Farabee, who played one shift in the third period Wednesday, was with Giroux and Voracek.
“We’re playing back-to-back and obviously the most important game we have is the game we have in front of us now,” Vigneault said. “I do need four lines tonight and six 'D' executing and playing well.”
Vigneault’s ability to shorten his bench like he did the other night is greatly diminished with a quick turnaround game Saturday in Philadelphia against the Islanders.
“It’s important to find chemistry quick,” said Giroux. “We’re going to need chemistry from all four lines.”
Giroux and Voracek have been Flyers’ teammates for nine years and have plenty of experience as linemates. They hooked up for the Flyers’ only goal in regulation on Wednesday when Voracek skated through Washington’s defense and fed Giroux for a power-play tally.
James van Riemsdyk took Voracek’s spot alongside Kevin Hayes and Carsen Twarynski. The lines of Travis Konecny-Sean Couturier-Oskar Linblom and Tyler Pitlick-Raffl-Andy Andreoff remained.
Odds and ends
♦ Goalie Carter Hart will get the call for the fifth time in six games, which means Brian Elliott is likely to start Saturday against the Islanders. New York scored five goals on Hart in an Oct. 27 loss on Long Island. Elliott relieved the young netminder that night and stopped all 19 shots he faced.
♦ Anders Nilsson, the NHL’s first star last week, will start in net for the Senators. Nilsson is coming off a rough Monday night, when he gave up four goals to the Islanders and was replaced by Craig Anderson.
♦ The Senators’ power-play is off to an anemic start with four goals in 62 chances (6.5%). They have as many shorthanded goals as they do with a man-advantage. That’s not easy to do. The Sens’ PP is 1-for-31 at home (3.1%. The Flyers, meanwhile, have stopped 31 of their last 33 chances (93.9%), including all three to the high-flying Caps on Wednesday.
♦ The Flyers are 5-0-2 in their last seven, collecting 12 of a possible 14 points against some staunch competition.
ICYMI
Injured Flyers defenseman Sam Morin posted the following on Twitter Thursday night:
» READ MORE: Local doc says Morin should be able to return from latest injury