(Kate Frese/SB Nation)
If there's one thing that's always present in the NHL, it's how quickly fortunes can change. Just as quickly as a team finds itself in the drek of a 10-game losing streak, they have a chance to go for five wins in a row.
The Flyers have a chance to do just that tonight, as they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to continue their five-game, pre-holiday homestand. As the Sabres embark on a new era, led by newcomers in Jason Botterill running the show and Hockey Hall of Fame member Phil Housley behind the bench, they sit at last place in the Eastern Conference and just three points shy of last overall — not exactly an auspicious start.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
Team Leaders
| Philadelphia Flyers | GP | G | A | P | Buffalo Sabres | GP | G | A | P |
| Jake Voracek | 30 | 7 | 30 | 37 | Evander Kane | 31 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| Claude Giroux | 30 | 13 | 21 | 34 | Jack Eichel | 31 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Sean Couturier | 30 | 15 | 15 | 30 | Ryan O'Reilly | 31 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 27 | 4 | 18 | 22 | Jason Pominville | 31 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| Wayne Simmonds | 30 | 10 | 9 | 19 | Kyle Okposo | 29 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| Player to Watch | |
| 28 Claude Giroux | 15 Jack Eichel |
| Last 5 Games: 2 G, 4 A, 6 P, +1 | Last 5 Games: 1 G, 4 A, 5 P, -3 |
| Goalie Matchup | |
| 37 Brian Elliott | 40 Robin Lehner |
| 10-6-6, 2.76 GAA, .912 SV% | 7-12-4, 2.87 GAA, .911 SV% |
With Michal Neuvirth still out of commission, look for Brian Elliott to make his sixth consecutive start and 14th over the past 15 games. He didn't face the biggest workload in the game against the Maple Leafs, seeing only 22 shots — but he did turn 20 of them aside.
Robin Lehner is presumed to take the net for the Sabres tonight. Entering his third season with the organization, Lehner's been their horse this season, starting 22 of their 31 games. Though he hasn't been given too much to work with in front of him this season (sound familiar?), he turned in a 24-save effort against Ottawa on Tuesday, helping the Sabres take a 3-2 win.
Flyers Projected Lineup
Injuries: Brandon Manning is still battling a hand injury, while Michal Neuvirth's leg injury is still keeping him out of action.
Scratches: Mark Alt, Jori Lehtera
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 28 Claude Giroux | 14 Sean Couturier | 17 Wayne Simmonds |
| 12 Michael Raffl | 51 Valtteri Filppula | 93 Jake Voracek |
| 40 Jordan Weal | 19 Nolan Patrick | 22 Dale Weise |
| 20 Taylor Leier | 21 Scott Laughton | 11 Travis Konecny |
| Defense | ||
| 9 Ivan Provorov | 47 Andrew MacDonald | |
| 8 Robert Hagg | 53 Shayne Gostisbehere | |
| 6 Travis Sanheim | 3 Radko Gudas | |
| Goalie | ||
| 37 Brian Elliott |
Lineup Notes: With Neuvirth hurt, Alex Lyon will serve as the backup netminder
Leafs Projected Lineup
Injuries: Auston Matthews has a left hand injury and it is unclear if he will return to the Leafs lineup. Joffrey Lupul has been deemed unfit to play and is on the LTIR.
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 67 Benoit Pouliot | 15 Jack Eichel | 29 Jason Pominville |
| 28 Zemgus Girgensons | 90 Ryan O'Reilly | 21 Kyle Okposo |
| 9 Evander Kane | 71 Evan Rodrigues | 23 Sam Reinhart |
| 20 Scott Wilson | 22 Johann Larsson | 17 Jordan Nolan |
| Defense | ||
| 6 Marco Scandella | 55 Rasmus Ristolainen | |
| 19 Jake McCabe | 47 Zach Bogosian | |
| 4 Josh Gorges | 41 Justin Falk | |
| Goalie | ||
| 40 Robin Lehner |
Game Notes
- Power Play: Flyers (16th, 28th at home), Leafs (30th, 22nd on road)
- Penalty Kill: Flyers (29th, 29th at home), Leafs (15th, 28th on road)
- Recent History vs. Leafs
- March 7, 2017 – Flyers 6, Sabres 3 (in BUF)
- Jan. 10, 2017 – Sabres 4, Flyers 1 (in BUF)
- Oct. 25, 2016 – Flyers 4, Sabres 3 – F/OT (in PHI)
Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
