The Philadelphia Flyers (9-10-2) will take on the Vegas Golden Knights (13-6-2) looking to build on the momentum of their thrilling 3-2 comeback win against the Chicago Blackhawks.

While the Flyers are trending upward in many areas, the Golden Knights represent a major challenge, but the Flyers will be helped by the Knights’ “meh” record and a nearly fully healthy defense ready to get their skates back under them to get. as a unit.

(Almost) Back to full strength

After weeks of injury woes, the Flyers defense is regaining its footing with Cam York and Emil Andrae returning to the lineup. While both players showed some rust in their returns against Chicago, their presence has increased the blueline’s mobility and ability to move pucks.

York, who thrives in transition and contributing to the rush, and Andrae, known for his sharp instincts and composure, will play key roles against a Golden Knights team that excels at creating pressure and capitalizing on turnovers. With the defense nearing full strength, head coach John Tortorella can rely on a more balanced rotation, which should help keep his team organized against a strong Vegas offense.

Fedotov in the crease

Ivan Fedotov will once again take charge of the Flyers and continue his strong campaign. The towering goalkeeper was a stabilizing force with a composed attitude that was crucial in moments when the pressure was on.

Fedotov will need to be at his best against a Golden Knights team that is among the league’s most efficient at generating offense. Their ability to score in waves will test the Flyers’ defensive structure and Fedotov’s ability to track the puck through traffic.

As the Flyers look to keep pace with Vegas, Fedotov’s performance could make or break their chances of a win. He’s proven he’s more than capable of making stretch, gritty saves, and a beefed-up defense for him could certainly take some of the pressure off as he continues to prove his worth in the NHL.

Just keep scoring

The Flyers’ thrilling overtime win against Chicago highlighted their resilience, but also underscored the need to get more players contributing offensively. Tortorella has continued to shift the forward lines to get production going, with the team looking for a more consistent attacking identity.

The dynamic play of the usual suspects like Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov and most recently Bobby Brink has set the tone, but the Flyers will need secondary scoring and better puck support to remain competitive against the Golden Knights.

With renewed energy from their comeback win, the Flyers have a chance to test themselves against one of the league’s current top performers. Staying disciplined and calm through all three periods will be crucial against Vegas, where mistakes are quickly punished.

Projected lines

Philadelphia Flyers

Forward:

Joel Farabee – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett – Morgan Frost – Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Scott Laughton – Ryan Poehling – Garnet Hathaway

Defense:

Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae – Rasmus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler – Helge Grans

Starting goalkeeper:

Ivan Fedotov

Vegas Golden Knights

Forward:

Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Alexander Holtz
Tomas Hertl – Nicolas Roy – Keegan Kolesar
Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Pavel Dorofeev
Tanner Pearson – Cole Schwindt – Cal Burke

Defense:

Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Zach Whitecloud
Nicolas Haag – Kaden Korczak

Starting goalkeeper:

Ilya Samsinov

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