Flyers

Round 2, Game 4 Preview: Flyers-Islanders

By
Kevin Durso
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Kevin Durso Sports Editor

I have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Co-host of the YWT Podcast. I also am Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey. I graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.

All posts by Kevin Durso
Sports Editor

Published30 Aug 2020

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By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor Round 2, Game 4 Preview: Flyers-Islanders

The Flyers came out for Game 3 and looked like a team determined to put the series in their favor in the first period. But for the last two periods, they were utterly dominated by the Islanders, who took it to them in the second and played their typical shut-down style in the third.

That puts the Flyers in a must-win position in Game 4, as they get right back at it on Sunday night. A win evens the series and sets the Flyers up for a best-of-three to decide the winner of the series. A loss puts their backs against the wall with three games for the Islanders to finish off the series.

Game 4 is set for 8 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P New York Islanders GP G A P
Kevin Hayes 12 3 6 9 Josh Bailey 12 2 9 11
Jake Voracek 11 4 4 8 Anthony Beauvillier 12 7 3 10
Sean Couturier 12 1 6 7 Mathew Barzal 12 3 7 10
Scott Laughton 11 3 2 5 Jean-Gabriel Pageau 12 6 2 8
Joel Farabee 10 3 2 5 Jordan Eberle 12 3 5 8
 
Player to Watch
11 Travis Konecny 27 Anders Lee
Last 5 Games: 0 G, 1 A, 1 P, -1 Last 5 Games: 3 G, 0 A, 3 P, +1
 
It's time for the Flyers best to step up and throughout the playoffs, the Flyers leading scorer from the regular season has been noticeably silent. Travis Konecny has yet to score a goal and has just two assists in the last 10 games dating back to the Round Robin. He needs to be better, and the Flyers could really use him to jumpstart the rest of the offense.
 
Anders Lee has scored in all three games in the series and could have more than just the three goals he has tallied. He's been an immovable force from the front of the net. The Flyers need to find a solution to stopping Lee in addition to getting their own offense going, because Lee has been driving the Islanders so far.
 
Projected Goalie Matchup
79 Carter Hart 40 Semyon Varlamov
11 GP, 7-4-0, 2.08 GAA, .931 SV% 12 GP, 9-2-0, 1.69 GAA, .935 SV%

The last time the Flyers went with Carter Hart in a back-to-back, it was off back-to-back shutouts and in a potential series-clinching game. It didn't go well, but the Flyers had margin for error. In this game, the Flyers don't have much, as a loss will put their backs to the wall. Needing a win, you may have to turn to the young netminder who has carried you through the playoffs to this point and hope he has his best.

The Islanders could certainly look to Thomas Greiss in Game 4 and try to ride the momentum of his solid performance in relief in Game 2 to a commanding series lead. But Semyon Varlamov has been the guy throughout the playoffs and responded with another strong performance in Game 3 that really didn't see him face a lot of tests down the stretch. He could get the call again in Game 4 as a result.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Left Wing Center Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux 14 Sean Couturier 93 Jake Voracek
49 Joel Farabee 13 Kevin Hayes 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk 21 Scott Laughton 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
38 Derek Grant 44 Nate Thompson 18 Tyler Pitlick
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 15 Matt Niskanen  
6 Travis Sanheim 5 Phil Myers  
8 Robert Hagg 61 Justin Braun  
Goalie    
79 Carter Hart 37 Brian Elliott  

Islanders Projected Lineup

Left Wing Center Right Wing
27 Anders Lee 13 Mathew Barzal 7 Jordan Eberle
18 Anthony Beauvillier 29 Brock Nelson 12 Josh Bailey
10 Derick Brassard 44 Jean-Gabriel Pageau 47 Leo Komarov
17 Matt Martin 53 Casey Cizikas 15 Cal Clutterbuck
Defense    
3 Adam Pelech 6 Ryan Pulock  
25 Devon Toews 24 Scott Mayfield  
2 Nick Leddy 4 Andy Greene  
Goalie    
40 Semyon Varlamov 1 Thomas Greiss  

Lineup Notes

  • Flyers: Alain Vigneault said that the team is still discussing potential changes to the lineup, but it's hard to see how there won't be several changes for this team. Michael Raffl is expected to come back in and there could be a lot of line shuffling going on. Stay tuned.
  • Islanders: The Islanders got Derick Brassard back into the lineup and had some success there. There may not be many changes to this group, all things considered, after three solid games in a row to earn a 2-1 series lead.

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (22nd), Islanders (12th)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (17th), Islanders (T-18th)
  • Recent History vs. Islanders
    • Oct. 27, 2019 – Islanders 5, Flyers 3 (at NYI)
    • Nov. 16, 2019 – Islanders 4, Flyers 3 (F/SO) (at PHI)
    • Feb. 11, 2020 – Islanders 5, Flyers 3 (at NYI)
    • Aug. 24, 2020 (Game 1) – Islanders 4, Flyers 0
    • Aug. 26, 2020 (Game 2) – Flyers 4, Islanders 3 (F/OT)
    • Aug. 29, 2020 (Game 3) – Islanders 3, Flyers 1
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Islanders (Career Regular Season Stats)
    • Claude Giroux – 52 GP, 18 G, 38 A, 56 P
    • Jake Voracek – 42 GP, 6 G, 27 A, 33 P
    • James van Riemsdyk – 37 GP, 11 G, 17 A, 28 P
    • Sean Couturier – 37 GP, 10 G, 18 A, 28 P
    • Matt Niskanen – 38 GP, 4 G, 14 A, 18 P
    • Carter Hart – 2 GP, 0-2-0, 6.23 GAA, .833 SV%

Where to Watch
TV: NBC
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic/97.3 ESPN

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