Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers vs. Vegas Preview: Lineups, Notes & How to Watch
Carter Hart is ill. That’s not good news for the Philadelphia Flyers, who will have to face the surging Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday with their backup goalie, Felix Sandstrom.
The 7 p.m. matchup will be held at the Wells Fargo Center, and it starts a seven-game homestand.
Sandstrom (1-9-1), who was outstanding in a recent 1-0 loss in Carolina, will face a team that is on a 12-2-2 run and is in first place in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights (41-20-6) scored a 2-1 overtime win over the visiting Flyers on Dec. 9. Hart made 32 saves to keep the Flyers in that game.
The Flyers (24-31-11), losers of 11 of their last 13 games, will have promising right winger Tyson Foerster in the lineup for the third straight game. He is looking for his first NHL goal.
Flyers’ expected lineup
Farabee-Frost-Tippett
Laughton-Cates-Foerster
Van Riemsdyk-Hayes-Lemieux
Deslauriers-Laczynski-Bellows
Defense
Provorov-York
Sanheim-Ristolainen
Seeler-DeAngelo
Goalie
Sandstrom (1-9-1, 3.30 GAA, .888 SP)
Golden Knights’ expected lineup
Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault
Smith-Karlsson-Dorofayev
Howden-Stephensen-Amadio
Cotter-Blueger-Kessel
Defense
Martinez-Pietrangelo
McNabb-Theodore
Hague-Whitecloud
Goalie
Quick (14-13-4, 3.35, .883)
Breakaways
Sandstrom, 26, will make his first career appearance against Vegas. … Defenseman Tony DeAngelo will return to the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup after missing two games because of a suspension for spearing. … Vegas D-man Alec Martinez leads the NHL with 202 blocked shots. … Jack Eichel has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 17 career games against the Flyers. … Phil Kessell has 34 points (11-23) in 52 games vs. Philly. … Owen Tippett has three goals over his last eight games. … Vegas winger Reilly Smith has six points over his last five games. … The Flyers are coming off an 0-3 road trip in which they were outscored, 11-3.
Vegas is 3-1 on a five-game road trip, which ends tonight. Highlighting the trip was a 4-0 win in Carolina. … Sam Ersson will be Sandstrom’s backup tonight. … Philly is tied for second in the NHL with 11 shorthanded goals. … Nine Flyers are 25 and younger. … Vegas is seventh in the NHL in faceoffs (52.4%), while the Flyers are 30th (45.4%). … Sean Couturier took part in Tuesday’s morning practice in a non-contact jersey. He has not played this season after undergoing two back surgeries. … Vegas’ Nolan Patrick is on IR and will miss the entire season. The former Flyer has had migraine and concussion issues in his career. … The Flyers have a lifetime 5-3-1 record against Vegas.
How to watch, listen
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic.
How to bet
FanDuel moneyline: Vegas is minus-194, the Flyers are plus-158.
Pick: Vegas, 5-3.
I’m not unhappy to see Hart out. We’re looking for losses now. I think Sandstrom is better than his numbers indicate but with Ersson’s emergence, Felix may be the odd man out going forward.