Injuries again leave Flyers’ Owen Tippett as a ‘game-time decision’ in Game 1 against Carolina
Despite a lingering undisclosed injury, the speedy winger hasn’t yet missed a game or looked visibly hampered. remains to be seen if he'll play in tonight's Game 1 opener against the Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. ― Owen Tippett stayed on the ice with the scratches long after the regulars left the optional skate, a sign that he might miss Saturday’s Game 1 against Carolina.
Tippett has regularly missed practices and morning skates during the playoff run for maintenance, a sign that he’s been dealing with a lingering injury.
“It’s the same thing, it’s a game-time decision,” Tocchet said Friday. “They’ve all been game times with him, we’ve just got to continue in that mode.”
During Friday’s practice, Alex Bump skated in his place with Trevor Zegras and Porter Martone during line rushes, but when asked if that indicated that Bump was a scratch, Tocchet said explicitly that “he’s not out.”
Bump scored a goal in Game 5 against the Penguins, his first playoff game, and remained in the lineup for Game 6 alongside Noah Cates and Matvei Michkov. He did not skate during Saturday’s optional morning skate, another indicator that he will be in the lineup.
Tippett was not made available to speak ahead of Saturday’s Game 1. In six playoff games, Tippett tallied two points, including one empty net goal and his slick short-handed assist in Game 3. He played 21 minutes, 48 seconds in the Game 6 overtime victory.
Despite the lingering injury, he hasn’t yet missed a game or looked visibly hampered, but his line with Zegras has yet to produce a goal at 5-on-5. The two have shuffled through several linemates, including the struggling Tyson Foerster, Denver Barkey, and Martone.
“In the playoffs, you’re going to deal with certain things,” Tocchet said of Tippett’s injury after the Game 2 win against Pittsburgh. “I’m sure it’s kind of one of those things. So we’ll keep an eye on it.”
Breakaways
With Tippett out, Garnet Hathaway is likely to draw back in for the fourth line with Sean Couturier and Luke Glendening after he was scratched in the clincher for Game 6. ... Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers will play tonight after missing the Canes’ entire first-round series against Ottawa with a lower-body injury. Alexander Nikishin, who is still in concussion protocol, is questionable.
