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Flyers at Chicago, Game 82: Lineups, Notes, Toews Sendoff, How to Watch

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Jonathan Toews, Michael Leighton, Philadelphia Flyers
Chicago's Jonathan Toews puts a shot on the Flyers' Michael Leighton in the 2010 Finals. Photo: AP.

And then there was one.

The Philadelphia Flyers’ “Godforsaken season,” as their head coached John Tortorella called it, will come to an end Thursday in Chicago.

The Flyers (30-38-13) will miss the playoffs for the third straight season, the first time that has happened since the early 1990s.

Chicago (26-49-6), which will also conclude its season, is still in the Connor Bedard Sweepstakes, but the Blackhawks no longer control their destiny after a stunning 5-2 win Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

This will be the final game for Chicago icon Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks decided they will not re-sign their long-time captain, so tonight will be a sendoff for the player who was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (MVP of the playoffs) after they beat the Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.

Fast-forward to this season and the Blackhawks could still finish with the league’s worst record. The team with that distinction will have a 25.5% chance of finishing with the No. 1 overall pick (Bedard). Columbus has 57 points, while Chicago and Anaheim each have 58 points.

Columbus has two games left; Chicago and Anaheim have one game remaining.

The Flyers are already assured of having the league’s seventh-worst record, and they will have a 6.5% chance of winning the draft lottery.

On Thursday, two Flyers — Travis Konecny (29 goals) and Morgan Frost (19) — will be trying to reach the 30- and 20-goal marks, respectively, for the first time in their careers.

Flyers’ expected lineup

Farabee-Frost-Konecny

Hayes-Cates-Tippett

JVR-Laughton-Allison

Deslauriers-Laczynski-Lemieux

Defense

Provorov-York

Sanheim-Ristolainen

Seeler-Braun

Goalie

Sandstrom (2-12-3, 3.72 GAA, .879 SP)

Blackhawks’ expected lineup

T. Johnson-Toews-Dickinson

Bjork-Athanasiou-Robinson

Katchouk-Khaira-Anderson

Wagner-Entwistle-R. Johnson

Defense

C. Jones-S. Jones

Kaiser-Murphy

Englund-Zaitsev

Mitchell

Goalie

Stalock (9-15-1, 2.93, .910)

Breakaways

Chicago has a minus-96 goal differential, but it has the satisfaction of costing Pittsburgh a playoff spot for the first time in the last 17 years. The Flyers have a minus-56 goal differential. … Chicago is last in the NHL in goals per game (2.44), while the Flyers are 39th (2.65). … Both teams struggle mightily on special teams. … Owen Tippett, who is having a breakthrough season, has 26 goals, including three over his last two games. … Joel Farabee (15 goals) has scored in each of the last two games. … Chicago scored a 4-1 win over the Flyers on Jan. 19. … Andreas Athanasiou has five goals and nine points in his last seven games. … South Jersey’s Buddy Robinson, a 6-foot-6, 232-pound RW from Bellmawr, had his first career multi-point game in Tuesday’s win in Pittsburgh. Since being recalled from the minors Monday, he has points in both games with Chicago. … Toews, who turns 35 later this month, has been held to 13 points (5-8) in 20 career games vs. Philly. … The Philadelphia Flyers lead the all-time series, 66-49-30.

How to watch, listen

TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia at 8:30 p.m. Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic.

This will be radio analyst Steve Coates’ final broadcast after 43 seasons with the Flyers. Flyers hockey will not be the same without the always-amusing Coatesy around the rink. Wishing him all the best!

How to bet

FanDuel moneyline: Chicago is minus-104, Flyers are minus-115.

Pick: Blackhawks, 3-2, in overtime.

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