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Flyers Preseason Gameday: 10/1/17 vs. NYI |
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PREVIEW: FLYERS VS. ISLANDERS
Playing the final game of the 2017 preseason, the Philadelphia Flyers play host to the New York Islanders on early Sunday evening at the Wells Fargo Center. Game time is 5 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised on TCN.
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall indicated to the media on Saturday that the team's final two roster cuts would likely be announced after Sunday's game. The team wants to make sure first that there are no injuries or other circumstances that could alter the final roster that is submitted to the NHL.
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol indicated earlier in the week that he'd like to use the preseason finale as a "dress rehearsal" for the regular season opener. If Saturday's forward combinations hold, it appears that rookie Oskar Lindblom will be the final forward cut. Unless Saturday's pairing switch around on Sunday, the defense battle appears to down to either Travis Sanheim or Sam Morin as the final blueline cut. Reason: The Flyers would prefer their young players to get regular AHL ice time to being a healthy scratch in the NHL.
The Flyers practice lines on Saturday were as follows:
28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jakub Voracek
40 Jordan Weal - 64 Nolan Patrick - 17 Wayne Simmonds
22 Dale Weise -51 Valtteri Filppula - 11 Travis Konecny
58 Taylor Leier - 21 Scott Laughton - 12 Michael Raffl
9 Ivan Provorov - 47 Andrew MacDonald
53 Shayne Gostisbehere - 48 Robert Hägg
23 Brandon Manning - 3 Radko Gudas
"5th" forward line: 54 Oskar Lindblom - 15 Jori Lehterä - 24 Matt Read
"4th" defensive pair: 50 Sam Morin - 57 Travis Sanheim
37 Brian Elliott / 30 Michal Neuvirth
On Monday the Flyers will depart for the west coast. The regular season starts with back-to-back road games against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday and the LA Kings the next night.