Flyers Getting a Forward Back Tuesday; Top-Pairing D-man is Out

The Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup will get better on offense, but weaker on the back end Tuesday night when they host the New York Islanders.

Scott Laughton, 28, will return after missing four games because of an apparent head injury. The alternate captain is back a few days earlier than the original prognosis.

Laughton has been used as a left winger and center this season. He has seven points (3-4) in 18 games.

The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to get right winger Cam Atkinson back soon, perhaps as early as Thursday against visiting Tampa Bay. He has not played this season because of an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Atkinson, who scored 23 goals last season and won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team’s MVP,  skated at Monday’s practice for the first time this season.

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo, meanwhile, will not play Tuesday. The top-pairing defenseman blocked a shot against the Penguins on Friday and played through the pain in that game, and also was in the lineup in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Islanders. Late in the latter game, he was in a fight with the Isles’ Oliver Wahlstrom.

DeAngelo, who is tied for fourth on the Flyers with 10 points, will miss his first game of the season.

Zamula in lineup

Defenseman Egor Zamula, 22, recalled Monday from the Phantoms, will be in the lineup Tuesday for the first time since Nov. 5.

The Flyers also announced that forward Jackson Cates was sent back to the Phantoms.

Carter Hart will face New York’s Ilya Sorokin (2.19 GAA, .933 save percentage) as the Flyers try to snap a 10-game losing streak. The Islanders have won four straight.

Hart will attempt to regain his footing. He was among the NHL leaders in goals-against average (2.19) and save percentage (.937) after facing Ottawa on Nov. 5. Since then, his GAA has climbed to 2.85, and his save percentage has dropped to .915 over his last seven starts.

The Islanders outscored the Flyers by a 3-0 third-period margin Saturday en route to a 5-2 win. The last few minutes were filled with scrums and fights, and it may have a carryover into tonight’s matchup.

Prediction: Islanders 3, Flyers 2.