Flyers-Hurricanes Preview: Philly Trying to Stay Hot

The Philadelphia Flyers (5-2) will try to continue their surprisingly successful start as they host Carolina (4-2-1) on Saturday night.

Carolina should be fatigued, having played the previous night. But the Hurricanes should also be angry because they are coming off a 6-2 home loss to the New York Islanders.

Here is a look at the Flyers-Canes matchup:

Game notes

• The Flyers are atop the Metro Division. Really.
• Joel Farabee needs two points to reach 100.
• Travis Konecny leads the Flyers with 12 points (6-6) in 21 career games vs. Carolina.
• Tony DeAngelo, who is off the an impressive start, will be facing his former team.
• Philly has allowed the first goal in six of seven games.
• Ivan Provorov is third in the NHL with 29 blocked shots.
• Kevin Hayes has nine assists, tied for fourth in the NHL.
• Jordan Staal leads Carolina with 44 points (21-23) in 70 career games against the Philadelphia Flyers. He will play in his 1,100th career game Saturday.
• Kieffer Bellows will make his Flyers debut.
• Carolina has outscored its opponents, 17-11, in five-on-five situations. The Flyers have a 13-11 edge in those situations.
• The Canes’ Ondrej Kase has missed the last six games because of a concussion.
• Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, and Andrei Svechnikov (seven goals) lead Carolina with nine points apiece.
• The Canes are closing their first set of 14 back-to-back games.

Projected lineups

Line 1: Kevin Hayes centering Joel Farabee and Travis Konecny.

Line 2: Scott Laughton centering Noah Cates and Owen Tippett.

Line 3: Lukas Sedlak centering Nick Deslauriers and Zack MacEwen.

Line 4: Morgan Frost centering Kieffer Bellows and Wade Allison.

Defense 1: Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo.

Defense 2: Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen.

Defense 3: Nick Seeler and Justin Braun.

Goalie: Carter Hart.

Carolina Hurricanes

Line 1: Aho centering Teravainen and Jarvis.

Line 2: Kotkaniemi centering Svechnikov and Necas.

Line 3: Staal centering Martinook and Fast.

Line 4: Stastny centering Noesen and Stepan.

D 1: Slavin and Burns.

D 2: Skjei and Pesce.

D 3: Coghlan and Chatfield.

Goalie: Raanta.

Projected goalies

Carter Hart (5-0, 2.00 GAA) is expected to face Antti Raanta (1-0-1, 1.93, .922).

Among goalies who have played at least four games, Hart is tied for second in wins, and second in save percentage (.947).

How to watch

The game will be televised on NBCSP at 7 p.m.

How to bet

Money line (Fan Duel): Canes are minus-184, Flyers are plus-152).

Pick: Carolina, 3-2.

Prediction record: 2-5.

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