Game 8 Preview: Flyers bid for 1st home win of season against Red Wings

This time, the Flyers return home and face the Detroit Red Wings at Wells Fargo Center. The opening face-off is set for 7 p.m.

The Flyers are a battered team. They are already without Braydon Coburn – now out four weeks instead of possibly returning to action tonight – and Vincent Lecavalier. On Friday, more bad news came the Flyers way as Zac Rinaldo is out for Saturday's game and Andrew MacDonald is out for four weeks as well.

Enter Shayne Gostisbehere, the top prospect that has been the talk of the organization. After just five career games in the pros with the Phantoms, Gostisbehere makes his way to the NHL, debuting on Saturday night.

The Flyers top pair defensively is currently Mark Streit and Nick Grossmann. Gostisbehere figures to fall into a pairing with Nick Schultz while the pair of Luke Schenn and Michael Del Zotto stays intact.

Offensively, the Flyers third line was the best on Wednesday, with three goals coming between Matt Read, Sean Couturier and R.J. Umberger. 

The Flyers top line has been in the mix for scoring chances, but has not actually scored a goal since Claude Giroux's overtime game-winner a week ago.

In goal, after much debate, the Flyers will go with Ray Emery. Emery has both wins this season, including one in relief of Steve Mason last Saturday, for the Flyers, posting a 2-0-1 with a 2.84 GAA and .897 save percentage.

The Red Wings come in as a hot team, sitting at 4-1-2 on the season with wins in three of their last four games. Their dramatic, 4-3 come-from-behind win on Thursday against the Penguins sets the stage for Saturday. Justin Abdelkader scored the game-winning goal in overtime, his third of the season.

Obviously, the Red Wings come with dangerous players on offense. There is none more important than Pavel Datsyuk. He missed most of the early portion of the season with an injury, but returned to the lineup this week. He is still in search of his first goal of the season and has two assists.

Henrik Zetterberg has been solid this season. The Detroit captain has three goals and leads the team wtih 10 points and seven assists. Gustav Nyquist leads the team with four goals. 

Niklas Kronwall leads the defense as an offensive presence. He scored twice on Thursday and has six points already this season. Jonathan Ericsson and Jakub Kindl round out the blue line for the Red Wings.

Detroit has been excellent defensively, especially on the penalty kill. They are the only remaining team that has yet to allow a power-play goal to their opponent. Ironically, the Flyers, while 27th overall in penalty kill, are also one of four teams to not allow a power-play goal at home. 

The Red Wings come into Philadelphia winless since 1997, when they won both games in Philly in the Stanley Cup Final.

In goal for Detroit will be Jonas Gustavsson. Gustavsson makes just his second start of the season. In his first, he picked up the win, making 30 saves in a shutout against the Toronto Maple Leafs.