Round 2, Game 6 Preview: Flyers-Islanders

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

The Flyers were five minutes away from a more comfortable win in Game 5, holding a 3-1 lead, when the Islanders made their push and completed a comeback to force overtime. Just like in Game 2, the Flyers found a way to win in overtime, extending the series to Thursday night's Game 6.

A Game 6 can be just as unpredictable as a Game 7 to an extent. There is still desperation on the part of the team with their backs to the wall and there is an element of desperation for the team leading the series to finish things off and move on without needing that winner-take-all decisive game.

The Flyers have a chance to force this series to the brink with a win in Game 6, and it could require them to do so without one of their top players in the process.

Game 6 is set for 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	New York Islanders	GP	G	A	P
Kevin Hayes	14	3	8	11	Josh Bailey	14	2	13	15
Sean Couturier	14	2	7	9	Anthony Beauvillier	14	7	4	11
Scott Laughton	13	4	4	8	Brock Nelson	14	6	5	11
Jake Voracek	13	4	4	8	Mathew Barzal	14	4	7	11
Claude Giroux	14	1	6	7	Jean-Gabriel Pageau	14	7	2	9

Player to Watch
21 Scott Laughton	29 Brock Nelson
Last 5 Games: 1 G, 2 A, 3 P, -1	Last 5 Games: 3 G, 1 A, 4 P, E

In the event that the Flyers are without Sean Couturier, there is a good chance you see Scott Laughton back on the top line between Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek. There was some good chemistry between that line early and they capitalized in overtime to keep the series alive. For the sake of not disrupting too much of the top six, this may be the easiest change the Flyers can make to accommodate Couturier's possible absence.

The Islanders had the game on their stick in overtime, and it just happened to be their hottest scorer of late. Brock Nelson had already scored two goals in Game 4 and had tallied in Game 5 when he got a breakaway in overtime. Nelson has the touch right now, so watch for him to be a key contributor again in Game 6.

Projected Goalie Matchup
79 Carter Hart	40 Semyon Varlamov
12 GP, 8-4-0, 2.12 GAA, .929 SV%	13 GP, 9-3-0, 1.85 GAA, .929 SV%

If not for Carter Hart, the Flyers season would already be over. Hart was spectacular in overtime in Game 5, making several crucial saves that bought the Flyers time to score the winning goal and force Game 6. They will lean on him again in Game 6 to try to get this series to go the distance.

While the Flyers did get a 3-1 lead, Semyon Varlamov was also sharp throughout Game 5 and made some big saves late in the third and in overtime to keep the game going. The Islanders have clearly put their trust in Varlamov, and he will be in goal again as they look to claim the series.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux	21 Scott Laughton	93 Jake Voracek
25 James van Riemsdyk	13 Kevin Hayes	11 Travis Konecny
23 Oskar Lindblom	38 Derek Grant	18 Tyler Pitlick
12 Michael Raffl	44 Nate Thompson	62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
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: As warmups started, it was known what was already speculated. Sean Couturier is out for the game. So is Joel Farabee, who took a high hit from Adam Pelech in Game 5 and is feeling the effects of that. There is some big news as to who comes into the Flyers lineup. Oskar Lindblom officially returns less than nine months after his diagnosis with Ewing's sarcoma. Michael Raffl will also be back in the lineup.
Islanders: Similarly, in warmups, Mathew Barzal was on the ice, so he is available for Game 6 and will play. No other changes were made to the Islanders lineup.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (23rd), Islanders (11th)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (17th), Islanders (14th)
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
- Sept. 1, 2020 (Game 5) – Flyers 4, Islanders 3 (F/OT)
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%