Back from the 4 Nations break, the Flyers will be in action against the Oilers on Saturday afternoon.
The two haven't faced each other since the Oilers took the overtime victory back on Oct. 15. Matvei Michkov scored his first two career NHL goals, but Leon Draisaitl spoiled things with the overtime winner.
Philadelphia Flyers
The break was much-needed for the Flyers, who had dropped five of their last six games. They also dealt with many injuries and paperwork issues for their newest players. Their depth was tested as they posted a regular-season franchise record scoreless drought. However, the two-week break allowed all of their injured players to return. Owen Tippett, Ryan Poehling, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Egor Zamula will all return to action.
The break also allowed the Flyers to add Jakob Pelletier to their lineup. While Andrei Kuzmenko was able to debut in the final game before the break, Pelletier still had visa issues despite being with the team. With 25 games left in the season, the Flyers can see what their two newest additions can bring to the team. Both are free agents this summer, Pelletier being an RFA and Kuzmenko a UFA.
Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim are both expected to be in the lineup after Canada won the 4 Nations tournament. Sanheim appeared in the final three games while Konecny skated in two. Sam Ersson, who played in one of Sweden's games, will be in the net for Philadelphia. With a plethora of players re-joining the lineup, it's tough to say for certain how this team lines up out of the break. But having everyone back is important for the final stretch.
Flyers Projected Roster
Tyson Foerster - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Andrei Kuzmenko - Scott Laughton - Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett - Ryan Poehling - Matvei Michkov
Jakob Pelletier - Sean Couturier - Garnet Hathaway
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Egor Zamula - Rasmus Ristolainen
Sam Ersson
Edmonton Oilers
Before the break, the Oilers had dropped three of their last five games, coming off a back-and-forth loss to the Avalanche. But make no mistake, Edmonton has talent up and down the lineup that can burn the Flyers at any moment. After scoring the winning goal for Canada, Connor McDavid will look to continue his strong season. He entered the break with 17 points in his last 13 games.
It's Draisaitl, though, who has led the way offensively for the Oilers. He's first on the team in goals (40) and points (83). Among league leaders, he sits first in goals and second in points. McDavid isn't far behind him with 71 points, tied for fourth in the league. But he has almost 20 fewer goals than Draisaitl. McDavid has missed some time this season, however. The Oilers will see the debut of Matt Savoie in this matchup. Savoi had 13 goals and 37 points in 45 games for Bakersfield.
Another player who needed the break was Stuart Skinner. The Oilers starting goaltender allowed seven goals in two of his last three games. He lasted only 20 minutes against Colorado, allowing three goals on 12 shots. Overall he's had a rather decent season in the net. He's posted a 2.74 GAA and a .900 SV% while coming out with a victory in 20 of his 37 games played.
Oilers Projected Roster
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
Matt Savoie - Leon Draisaitl - Vasily Podkolzin
Jeff Skinner - Mattias Janmark - Corey Perry
Viktor Arvidsson - Adam Henrique - Connor Brown
Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse - John Klingberg
Brett Kulak - Ty Emberson
Stuart Skinner
When, Where, and How to Watch
Time: 1:00 PM
Where: Wells Fargo Center
Watch: NBCSP
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Live Stream: FuboTv
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