Game 36 preview: Flyers @ Sharks

John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers (11-17-7) will play David Quinn's San Jose Sharks (11-19-6) on Thursday night. Game time at the SAP Center is 10:30 p.m. ET.

This is the second final meeting of the season series between the teams, and the lone game in San Jose. Back on Oct. 23 at the Wells Fargo Center, the Sharks claimed a 3-0 victory behind a 30-save shutout by James Reimer. In the same game, James van Riemsdyk was lost for five weeks after sustaining a broken right index finger. Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny were benched throughout the third period.

In this game, rookie Samuel Ersson will make his second career NHL start. He started the Dec. 23 game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, allowing five goals on 30 shots. Kaapo Kahkhonen will get the start against the Flyers.

On Wednesday, the Flyers recalled Olle Lycksell from the Phantoms. The team also placed utility depth forward Max Willman on waivers for purposes of AHL assignment.

For an in-depth preview of Thursday's game, see today's Five Things on the Flyers' official website (PhiladelphiaFlyers.com).

Possible starting lineups (subject to change)

Flyers

86 Joel Farabee - 49 Noah Cates - 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk - 48 Morgan Frost - 74 Owen Tippett
13 Kevin Hayes - 21 Scott Laughton - 57 Wade Allison
44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 38 Patrick Brown - 17 Zack MacEwen

9 Ivan Provorov - 45 Cam York
6 Travis Sanheim - 77 Tony DeAngelo
24 Nick Seeler - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen

33 Samuel Ersson
[32 Felix Sandström]

Sharks

28 Timo Meier - 39 Logan Couture - 94 Alexander Barabanov
83 Matt Nieto - 48 Tomas Hertl - 62 Kevin Labanc
13 Nick Bonino - 7 Nico Sturm - 10 Evgeny Svechnikov
73 Noah Gregor - 16 Steven Lorentz - 23 Oskar Lindblom

24 Jaycob Megna - 65 Erik Karlsson
44 Marc-Edouard Vlasic - 5 Matt Benning
38 Mario Ferraro - 4 Scott Harrington

36 Kaapo Kahkonen
[47 James Reimer]

*********

Phantoms Beat Bridgeport in Shootout

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms took the bonus point from a 6-5 (3-2) shootout victory at the PPL Center on Wednesday against the Bridgeport Islanders. The Phantoms led by a 5-3 score midway through the third period before Bridgeport struck twice to force overtime. Former Phantoms/Flyers forward Andy Andreoff scored in the final minute of regulation to sent the game to overtime.

In regulation, Cooper Marody scored his 3rd and 4th goals of the season. Zayde Wisdom (1st), Elliot Desnoyers (PPG, 12th) and Adam Brooks (3rd) also tallied for the Phantoms, while rookie defenseman Adam Ginning collected three assists and Desnoyers had a two-point (1g, 1a) game. In the skills competition, Kieffer Bellows converted his first-round shootout attempt while Jordy Bellerive scored in round five and team captain Cal O'Reilly notched the winning goal in the sixth round.

Nolan Maier got the start in goal for the Phantoms. He stopped 29 of 34 shots during regulation and overtime before going 4-for-6 in the shootout. The Phantoms were 1-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The Phantoms (14-11-3) return to action on Friday, visiting the Utica Comets (12-9-5). On Saturday, they are on the road against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (13-8-5).

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