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Flyers making several lineup changes; Voracek to 2d line

    by Sam Carchidi
    Published 

BUFFALO _ Rookie coach Dave Hakstol is making several lineup changes, trying to awaken the Flyers' offense in Friday's game in Buffalo.

Jake Voracek, goal-less in all nine games, will move to the second line.

"We didn't generate enough last night, and we gave up too much," said Hakstol, referring to Thursday's 4-1 loss to New Jersey. "With that in mind, we can go back to exactly what we had, or we can make some changes. The first thing we have to do is concentrate on being better without the puck."

The top line will have Claude Giroux centering Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds, while Scott Laughton will center Brayden Schenn and Voracek.

Michael Raffl will move from left wing to center, with R. J Umberger on the left and Sam Gagner on the right.

The fourth line will have Ryan White centering left winger Chris VandeVelde and right winger Vinny Lecavalier. Lecavalier played on the left side Thursday.

"We need a four-line game tonight," Hakstol said. "We got away rom that a little" Thursday.

In addition, Radko Gudas will replace defenseman Brandon Manning. Gudas will be on the right side, with Evgeny Medvedev on the left. The other pairings: Nick Schultz and Luke Schenn, and Mark Streit and Michael Del Zotto.

Michal Neuvirth (2-0, 1.55 GAA), who has a .947 save percentage, will make his first start since he was injured in Boston on Oct. 21.

Couturier update. Sean Couturier, who will miss his fourth straight game Friday because of a concussion, did not make the trip to Buffalo. He skated at the Flyers' practice facility in Voorhees on Friday and will do so again on Saturday, GM Ron Hextall said.

Hextall said no decision has been made on whether Couturier will be able to join the team for Monday's game in Vancouver. As of now, the general manager is not planning to recall any players from the Phantoms.

The Flyers have about $670,000 in cap space.

Without Couturier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower-body injury), the Flyers are missing arguably their two best defensive centers.