Gameday Preview: Flyers vs. Islanders
In the first game of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series, Alain Vigneault's Philadelphia Flyers (41-21-7 in the regular season, 7-2 in the postseason) will take on Barry Trotz's New York Islanders (35-23-10 regular season, 7-2 postseason) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Game time is 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be nationally televised on NBCSN.
The Flyers are the designated home team for Game 1, and will have last line change. That did not factor into last series, as the "road" team side won Games 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The Flyers' four wins over Montreal came as the "home" team in Game 1 and the road team in Games 3, 4, and 6.
For an in-depth series preview,
click here. For the Flyers Daily podcast version of the keys to the series, with thoughts from Flyers captain Claude Giroux,
click here.
Regular season series rewind
The Islanders won the regular season series between the teams with two regulation victories and an overtime triumph.
On Oct. 27, playing the second half of a back-to-back and third game of a three-in-four, the Flyers saw a three-game winning streak come to an end in a 5-3 road loss to the Islanders. New York extended a winning streak to seven straight games.
Anders Lee (4th), Derick Brassard (3rd), Ross Johnston (1st), Ryan Pulock (1st) and Mathew Barzal (5th) scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov earned the win in goal with 28 saves on 31 shots.
Jakub Voracek had a goal (4th) and an assist (5th) for the Flyers. Philadelphia also got a tally from the red-hot Travis Konecny (team-leading 6th) and a late-game goal from Claude Giroux (2nd). Travis Sanheim (4th), Justin Braun (3rd), Kevin Hayes (3rd) and James van Riemsdyk (3rd) each had an assist in a losing cause.
Carter Hart struggled in this game and was pulled in the second period after he stopped just nine of 14 shots. One goal was off a preventable rebound. Another was a heavy but unscreened point shot. On other shots, he was a little bit off his angles.
Brian Elliott, who had started each of the Flyers' previous three games, relieved Hart at 8:46 of the second period. Elliott kept the score where it was (5-2) even as he was severely tested multiple times in the third period. Elliott stopped all 19 shots he faced.
One night after this game, Elliott got torched in a 7-1 road pasting at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The ugly back-to-back losses to divisional opponents were a low point of the season for the Flyers, who then went on to post the NHL's best record in November.
The teams next met in Philadelphia on Nov. 16, The Flyers entered this game with their most lopsided fatigue factor disadvantage of any match in the season. Philadelphia was playing for the third time in four nights and the seventh time in 12 nights (the Flyers had 16 games in 30 nights in November to make up for the light October schedule associated with starting the season in Prague). Meanwhile, the Islanders were a much more rested team, playing just twice between Nov. 10 and 18.
New York was also still red-hot at the time; bringing in a 9-0-1 record over its previous 10 games and a 13-game point streak overall. At the time, the Isles sported a gaudy 13-3-1 record for the season.
All of these things came into play on this night. The Flyers built a 3-0 lead and took it to nearly midway through the third period but simply ran out of gas. The Islanders surged to score three unanswered goals to take the game to overtime and then won it in the 3-on-3.
Philly's 5-on-5 goals came from Sean Couturier (6th) off a feed from Oskar Lindblom, and then a left circle shot by Lindblom (9th) that found the net. In between, the Couturier-driven power play unit produced an Ivan Provorov power play goal (4th). Couturier, Lindblom and Provorov each had two-point games, and Lindblom was also credited with a game-high four takeaways. Farabee and Matt Niskanen chipped in one assist apiece.
Lapses in attention to detail -- specifically, sloppy line changes -- proved very costly to Philadelphia. They got away with one in the second period, where the Islanders were unable to capitalize on a 3-on-1 rush (eventually a 4-on-1). In the third period, a bad defensive change resulted in a partial breakaway that cut the Isles gap to 3-1. Then a too-many-men penalty on another faulty defensive change was cashed in by New York in the waning seconds of a power play. A failed chance to break out of the defensive zone and a leaky bouncing goal resulted in the game going to overtime.
Starting goalie Elliott had a few early adventures in the first period then settled in for much of the game. He was the team's best player in a lopsided second period that nevertheless resulted in Philly extending a two-goal lead to three. In the third period, he gave up two goals -- breakaway five-hole and then power play from the slot -- that were not on him, but it looked like he should have had the tying goal. He made three saves in overtime to finish with 33 saves on 36 shots. In the post-game skills competition, Elliott was twice more beaten through the five hole.
Phil Myers was a healthy scratch, for what Vigneault described as performance-related reasons in the Washington and Ottawa games. Robert Hägg (14:56 TOI across, 19 shots, six hits, one shot on two attempts, one block) returned to the lineup. Additionally, Carsen Twarynski was scratched in favor of Chris Stewart (7:45 TOI across nine shifts, one hit, one giveaway, two blocks).
The Flyers reconfigured starting fourth line trio of Andy Andreoff (10 shifts, 9:46 TOI) centering Tyler Pitlick (the line's most effective player skated 15 shifts including 1:44 on the PK) and Stewart got hemmed in deep several times during the game.
Anthony Beauvillier (5th and 6th) began and completed the Islanders' third period comeback. Sandwiched in between was Mathew Barzal's power play goal (9th). Brock Nelson had a pair of assists (9th and 10th), as did Derick Brassard (6th and 7th).
In the shootout, Jordan Eberle and Barzal scored in succession. In the shootout, Couturier nearly scored but his shot fluttered off the crossbar and stayed out. Claude Giroux was unable to find the net in a must-score attempt.
New York goalie Thomas Greiss would have liked to have Lindblom's goal back. He nevertheless finished with 28 saves on 31 shots in regulation and OT.
The teams most recently met on Feb. 11 in Brooklyn. For the third time in the season, the Flyers were caught on the second half of a back-to-back (the third game of a three-in-four) by an Islanders team that was more rested; at that point of the season, the Isles had two games in hand on the Flyers and three on Columbus. However, the Flyers were soaring in the standings (31-18-7) by this point and the Islanders were starting to slip; now tenuously holding onto third place in the Metro.
On this night, though, the Flyers found themselves chasing the game. Philly left themselves with no margin of error as they fell into a 3-0 crater in the opening period. Philadelphia dominated the second period and made a push in the third period before getting the game to the brink of overtime.
Josh Bailey (12th) Matt Martin (5th) and Jordan Eberle (10th) built a 3-0 lead for New York in the first period. Mathew Barzal set up the first and third goals for the Islanders, and later figured in the game-winner for his team.
Travis Konecny (19th) and Robert Hägg (2nd) narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the middle frame.
In the third period, Sean Couturier (16th) pulled the Flyers even with 1:32 left but Ryan Pulock restored the lead at 19:19. Leo Komarov tacked on an empty netter to seal the outcome.
Brian Elliott stopped 20 of 24 shots. Semyon Varlamov earned the win with 35 saves.
Flyers Outlook
The Flyers pulled out a series victory in six games over Montreal by holding the Habs to one goal in Game 1, riding back-to-back shutouts by Carter Hart to 1-0 and 2-0 victories in Games 3 and 4, and then closing out the series with a 3-2 victory in Game 6.
It is remarkable that, through nine postseason games, the Flyers have a 7-2 record (3-0-0 in the round robin, 4-2 against the Canadiens) without the benefit of getting goals from the team's most important regular-season offensive performers.
Sean Couturier (5a), regular-season leading scorer Travis Konecny (3a), team captain Claude Giroux (4a) and veteran left winger James van Riemsdyk (zero points in 6 games played) are all still looking for their respective first goal of the playoffs. That needs to change against the Islanders if the Flyers are to win the series.
Jakub Voracek stepped up big in the Montreal series and leads the team to date with eight points (4g, 4a) in eight games played. Kevin Hayes was an all-around force at times in the Montreal series and has racked up a half-dozen assists in the playoffs, before finally getting off the schneid, goal-scoring wise, in the clinching game of the First Round.
Philly must get the power play producing. The Flyers exploded for three power play goals on seven opportunities in a losing cause (5-3) in Game 5 of the Montreal series. Otherwise, the team has but a single power play goal to show for the entire postseason to date.
Philadelphia has gotten a healthy dose of support scoring in the playoffs: three goals apiece from rookie Joel Farabee and from veteran Michael Raffl, three goals and five points from Scott Laughton (all in the round-robin phase), a collective four goals from the defense corps, a two-goal game in the round robin from Nicolas Aube-Kubel (who has been out with a suspected lower-body suffered in Game 3 against Montreal) and a single round-robin goal apiece from Nate Thompson and Tyler Pitlick (empty netter).
Aube-Kubel has been skating for the last two few days, according to Vigneault. His availability for Game 1 is unknown. Matt Niskanen, who served a one-game suspension in the clincher against Montreal for a cross-checking incident the previous game, will return for the start of the Islanders series. That leaves Vigneault with a choice of keeping Shayne Gostisbehere (who excelled in the series clincher after struggling earlier in the series and being removed after Game 2) in the lineup or scratching Gostisbehere in favor of Robert Hagg, who is bigger and stronger physically than Gostisbehere and has seemed to click better with Justin Braun than has "Ghost".
Islanders Outlook
The Islanders are a different type of opponent than Montreal. Whereas the Habs were the NHL's No. 2 puck possession team and 3rd in expected goals this season but had issues turning those opportunities into goals -- all of which ended up weighing heavily on the personality of the series against the Flyers -- the Islanders have developed a different sort of identity.
While the team has a core of skilled players (Barzal, Beauvillier, playoff leading scorer Bailey, Jordan Eberle, Anders Lee. Brock Nelson), the Islanders have forged an identity as a heavy and very physical team that plays stifling team defense. The Isles led the NHL in both credited hits and blocked shots this season, and lead all remaining teams in the playoffs in the hitting department.
One area that has been a major change in the playoffs for the Islanders has been their success at 5-on-5. The team struggled for goals (121 overall) at 5-on-5 during the regular season and ended up -10 as a team in that department this season (the Flyers were +18). However, during the Islanders' five-game dismantling of the Capitals, they outscored Washington by a whopping 11-3 margin at five-on-five. The Islanders' special teams haven't been stellar in the regular season or in the playoffs (15.8% power play, 75% penalty kill) but they have been outstanding at even strength.
Varlamov, formerly of the Capitals and Avalanche, had a strong first season with the Islanders and has carried it over thus far into a fine performance in the playoffs. His stats in the postseason are comparable to Hart's.
The Islanders have been winning in the playoffs without the services of top defenseman Johnny Boychuk. He took warmups before the clincher against the Capitals, so it appears that he's getting close to being ready to play. Veteran fourth-line hitter/agitator Cal Clutterbuck (who has often seemed to find his way onto the scoresheet better against the Flyers than any other team) is questionable for Game 1. If he can't go, another very physically aggressive player, Ross Johnston, may start in Clutterbuck's place.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
12 Michael Raffl - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jake Voracek
49 Joel Farabee - 13 Kevin Hayes - 11 Travis Konecny
21 Scott Laughton - 28 Claude Giroux - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
38 Derek Grant - 44 Nate Thompson - 18 Tyler Pitlick
9 Ivan Provorov - 15 Matt Niskanen
6 Travis Sanheim - 5 Phil Myers
53 Shayne Gostisbehere - 61 Justin Braun
79 Carter Hart
[37 Brian Elliott]
ISLANDERS
27 Anders Lee - 13 Mathew Barzal - 7 Jordan Eberle
18 Anthony Beauvillier - 29 Brock Nelson - 12 Josh Bailey
32 Ross Johnston - 44 Jean-Gabriel Pageau - 47 Leo Komarov
17 Matt Martin - 53 Casey Cizikas - 15 Cal Clutterbuck
3 Adam Pelech - 6 Ryan Pulock
25 Devon Toews - 24 Scott Mayfield
2 Nick Leddy - 4 Andy Greene
55 Johnny Boychuk ???
40 Semyon Varlamov
[1 Thomas Greiss]
Comparative Team Stats(League ranking, via NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick)
GPG: PHI 3.29 (7th), NYI 2.78 (22nd)
GAA: PHI 2.77(T-7th), NYI 2.79 (9th)
5-on-5: PHI +18 (153-135), NYI -10 (121-131)
Power Play: PHI 20.8% (14th), NYI 17.3% (T-24th)
Penalty Kill: PHI 81.8% (11th), NYI 80.7% (15th)
Special Teams Index: PHI 102.6, NYI 98.0
SHG: PHI 8 (T-6th), NYI 6 (T-10th)
SHGA: PHI 6 (T-14th), NYI 5 (T-7th)
Average Shots: PHI 31.4 (16th), NYI 29.6 (28th)
Shots Against: PHI 28.7 (1st), NYI 31.2 (T-13th)
Corsi: PHI 51.02% (9th), NYI 46.45% (29th)
Scoring chances: PHI 50.91% (13th), NYI 47.91% (15th)
High-danger chances: PHI 50.83% (12th), NYI 50.08% (18th)
Expected goal differential: PHI 50.64 (14th), NYI 48.84% (20th)
Faceoffs: PHI 54.6% (1st), NYI 49.9% (T-17th)
Credited Hits/60: PHI 21.4 (17th), NYI 27.7 (1st)
Blocked Shots/60: PHI 12.02 (28th), NYI 16.61 (1st)
Giveaways/60: PHI 8.93 (13th), NYI 12.96 (31st)
Takeways/60: PHI 6.29 (24th), NYI 7.02 (18th)
Series Schedule
Mon, Aug 24 -- 7 PM
Wed, Aug 26 -- 3 PM
Thu, Aug 27 -- 7 PM
Sat, Aug 29 -- Noon
Mon, Aug 31 -- TBD *
Wed, Sep 2 -- TBD *
Thu. Sep 3 -- TBD *
* If necessary
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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