The Philadelphia Flyers are preparing to take on the Buffalo Sabres this evening. The Flyers had an OT win on Thursday in Ottawa thanks to a Matvei Michkov game-winning goal.
Erik Johnson’s 1,000th game
Ahead of tonight’s contest, roster changes were made as Morgan Frost is healthy scratched. Due to Cam York not returning, Erik Johnson remains in the lineup. This will be Johnson’s 1,000th NHL game. He was drafted first in the 2006 draft to the St. Louis Blues. Johnson later won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. While he did spend nearly half a season with the Sabres, his ceremony will be Monday night as the Flyers host the Colorado Avalanche.
Inside the Flyers’ Goalie situation
With Sam Ersson’s absence set to last for the next few weeks, Ivan Fedotov starts in the net. Fedotov has two NHL wins under his belt. Hopefully, this gives him more confidence ahead of tonight’s contest. Backing Ersson up will be Kolosov. The Flyers have an interesting goalie rotation going on with three goalies (once Ersson is back) that, as of now, can all start in big games.
The Flyers have been on a hot streak, with a four-game point streak since the Tampa Bay Lightning game. Their confidence has continued to grow over the past week. Players such as Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim have played substantial roles in the team’s success.
As for the Buffalo Sabres, who most recently had a 4-3 OT win over the Blues, they look to continue their two-game point streak. The Sabres have 17 points to the Flyers’ 16 points this season. Both of these teams have struggled throughout this early stage of the season but recently found slight success. It appears that Devon Levi will start in the net ahead of James Reimer for Buffalo. Buffalo is also experiencing some injuries as Tage Thompson remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Tonight’s contest is the annual Star Wars game for all fans attending.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
