UPDATE 5:15 PM ET
Ersson will start in goal for the fourth consecutive game, as Carter Hart (illness) is unable to dress for the game. The Flyers called up Cal Petersen from the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms to back up Ersson.
Travis Sanheim will return to the lineup after missing Saturday's game due to illness. Marc Staal is scratched. Additionally, on Tuesday, the Flyers recalled center Rhett Gardner from the Phantoms and reassigned winger Olle Lycksell to the Phantoms.
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Game 31 Preview: Flyers @ Devils
The Philadelphia Flyers (17-10-3) are Newark on Tuesday to take on the New Jersey Devils (16-12-1). Game time at the Prudential Center is 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Flyers bring an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) into this game. They are coming off a 1-0 shutout win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. A first period goal -- on an intended pass -- by Cam York stood the rest of the game. Samuel Ersson stopped all 32 shots that he faced, and the team in front of him blocked 20 more.
In tonight's game, look for Carter Hart to return to the net. He missed the last two games due to illness. Travis Sanheim, who missed Saturday's game with an illness, is also slated to return. Sanheim practiced on Monday and said he was fine to play. Sean Couturier, who took maintenance days on Friday and Monday while also electing not to do Saturday's optional morning skate, played on Saturday and will also play in Newark.
With Sanheim returning, look for Rasmus Ristolainen to return to a pairing with either Egor Zamula or Marc Staal. Based on Monday's reps at practice, it seemed that Zamula would be Ristolainen's defense partner for the game and Staal would (barring injury or illness) not dress for the game.
The Flyers extra forward, barring injury or illness (and assuming the team would not go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards in that event), will once again be Olle Lycksell. The Swedish winger "centered" the fourth line at Monday's practice with Couturier absent. Morgan Frost practiced with Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny as his linemates. Ryan Poehling continued with Joel Farabee and Cam Atkinson. Scott Laughton was with Owen Tippett and Bobby Brink. However, once game time rolls around, the lines are likely to revert to the combinations the team has regularly featured of late.
Regarding Lycksell, who skated six shifts in the game in Anaheim but has been scratched in each of the last four games, head coach John Tortorella said several days ago that he does not imminently plan to dress the player. However, Tortorella added that Lycksell earned the promotion to the NHL roster through his play in the AHL with the Phantoms. If there's an opportunity that arises for the small, creative winger to play a wing for the Flyers in offensive situations, he'd dress.
The Flyers' current eight-game point streak started on Nov. 30 with a 4-3 overtime home loss to the Devils.
In that game, Philly rallied back from deficits to 2-0 and 3-1. Two goals by Foerster (even strength and 6-on-4 power play with Hart pulled late in regulation for extra attacker) and a power play rebound goal by Frost provided the scoring for Philly on that night. The Devils received regulation goals from Alexander Holtz, Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli (power play) before Luke Hughes won the match in overtime. Akira Schmid was the winning goalie, although Hart played well for the Flyers.
The previous meeting between the Flyers and Devils saw the Flyers play most of the game with 10 forwards. Joel Farabee played less than a minute before being benched for the rest of the game following a blown assignment up ice that contributed to a Devils counterattacking goal. Later in the first period, Garnet Hathaway was ejected from the game on a botched icing call and a hard hit on Luke Hughes that the officials deemed "boarding" (although Hughes didn't actually hit into the boards).
In the previous game between the team, veteran Devils forward Erik Haula was out due to injury. He's since returned to the New Jersey lineup. New Jersey remains without the injured Dougie Hamilton and Tomas Nosek, and goalie Vitek Vanecek is also sidelined.
New Jersey has won seven of their last 10 games (7-3-0) but got blown out on home ice by the Anaheim Ducks, 5-1, on Sunday. Mike McLeod scored the only goal for the Devils. Schmid took the loss in goal.
Projected lineups are below. They are subject to change and will be updated if necessary. The Flyers do not have a morning skate but Tortorella will speak briefly to the media at 5:00 p.m. ET. For more about Tuesday's game -- matchups, team trends, special teams, etc. -- see today's "Five Things" on the Flyers' official website.
Projected lineups (will be updated)
FLYERS
71 Tyson Foerster - 14 Sean Couturier - 11 Travis Konecny 86 Joel Farabee - 25 Ryan Poehling - 89 Cam Atkinson 74 Owen Tippett - 48 Morgan Frost - 10 Bobby Brink 44 Nic Deslauriers - 21 Scott Laughton - 19 Garnet Hathaway
8 Cam York - 6 Travis Sanheim 24 Nick Seeler - 26 Sean Walker 5 Egor Zamula - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
33 Samuel Ersson [40 Cal Petersen]
DEVILS
73 Tyler Toffoli - 86 Jack Hughes - 63 Jesper Bratt 18 Ondrej Palat - 13 Nico Hischier - 28 Timo Meier 56 Erik Haula - 91 Dawson Mercer - 10 Alexander Holtz 42 Curtis Lazar - 20 Michael McLeod - 14 Nathan Bastian
71 Jonas Siegenthaler - 17 Simon Nemec 88 Kevin Bahl - 6 John Marino 43 Luke Hughes - 24 Colin Miller
40 Akira Schmid [50 Nico Daws]