Round 2, Game 5 Preview: Flyers-Islanders

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

It's all on the line now for the Flyers. Following back-to-back losses over the weekend, the Flyers are on the brink of elimination, down 3-1 in the series to the Islanders.

There is a chance this could be the last game of the 2019-20 season for the Flyers. There is a chance their time in the Toronto bubble will end. But it is also in the control of the Flyers to try to make a push and at least inch their way back into the series with a win in Game 5 and forcing a Game 6.

Game 5 is set for 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	New York Islanders	GP	G	A	P
Kevin Hayes	13	3	7	10	Josh Bailey	13	2	11	13
Jake Voracek	12	4	4	8	Anthony Beauvillier	13	7	4	11
Sean Couturier	13	2	6	8	Brock Nelson	13	5	5	10
Scott Laughton	12	3	3	6	Mathew Barzal	13	3	7	10
Travis Sanheim	13	1	5	6	Jean-Gabriel Pageau	13	7	2	9

Player to Watch
28 Claude Giroux	13 Mathew Barzal
Last 5 Games: 0 G, 1 A, 1 P, -1	Last 5 Games: 0 G, 3 A, 3 P, E

With the season on the line, you look to your leaders to step up. Claude Giroux is right in the center of the focus of that, with no goals in his last 14 playoff games and really having it tarnish his legacy. Giroux can silence that narrative with a strong game, and the Flyers certainly need it from him and the rest of their top players.

As excellent as he has been in the series, it may be hard to believe that Mathew Barzal has yet to score a goal in the series. He had assists in each of the first three games of the series, but was held off the board in Game 4. Barzal has displayed the ability to take over a shift and take over a game, and with a chance to move on, he should be motivated to bring even more contributions.

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%

Facing elimination, the Flyers will turn to their young goaltender hoping to get the performance out of him that can keep the season going. Carter Hart has been solid in the playoffs, but the Flyers need his best to keep their season going.

The Islanders got a great performance out of Thomas Greiss in Game 4 to take control of the series. Now they will shift back to Semyon Varlamov, who has also been excellent and has helped the Islanders primarily reach this point.

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 primary group took the morning skate and that there could be changes, but that the team will be ready to go regardless. One player who will likely not be in the lineup is Oskar Lindblom. The Flyers teased that Lindblom could be returning and he did take warmups ahead of Game 4. Lindblom will take warmups in Game 5, but Vigneault said he is still "a few days away."
Islanders: The Islanders have primarily used the same lineup throughout the series and there's no reason to believe any changes will be coming now. Expect the same group for the Islanders in Game 5.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (22nd), Islanders (13th)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (T-14th), Islanders (17th)
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
- Aug. 30, 2020 (Game 4) – Islanders 3, Flyers 2
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%