Update (11:30 AM)
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol confirmed after the morning skate that Shayne Gostisbehere will be a healthy scratch against the Jets. Hakstol said it is about "growth, development and accountability" within the team. Hakstol said that backfired offensive envelope-pushing that has resulted in counterattacking chances for other teams is not the reason the player is sitting. He hinted, but did not specifically say that play without the puck is the area Gostisbehere needs to pick up his consistency in the coach's viewpoint.
Hakstol said the Gostibehere absence won't be a long one -- at one point Hakstol said he wants Ghost to watch a game from the pressbox and get himself ready to play on Saturday but then backpedaled a bit from saying it will be only for one game.
Andrew MacDonald has been activated off the injured reserve list and appears to be the player who will be stepping into the lineup. However, Hakstol would not directly confirm that it will be MacDonald rather that Nick Schultz.
Lineups have been updated below.
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Preview: Flyers vs. Jets
In a battle of two teams that have scored a lot of goals thus far but also yielded too many, Dave Hakstol's Philadelphia Flyers (7-7-3) play host to Paul Maurice's Winnipeg Jets (9-7-2) at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. Game time is listed as 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on CSN Philadelphia.
This is the first of two meetings between the inter-conference clubs. They will rematch in Winnipeg on March 21. Last season, the Flyers captured a 3-0 road shutout win and a 3-2 home overtime win on a dramatic game-winner by Claude Giroux off a setup by Shayne Gostisbehere in the final 18 seconds of OT.
Thursday night's game is the second Heritage Night of the season, celebrating the team's 50th anniversary season. Tonight's theme: Tough Guys. A few months ago, Flyers fans voted on which players they would like to see honored (subject to availability). Four of the top five vote-getters will be on hand for this game and there will be a variety of special presentations to honor not only those in attendance but many others who helped shape the tradition of team toughness that is part of the organization's identity.
On the Flyers' official website, I wrote a "Tough Guys Night" feature story that discusses how the concept of team and individual toughness in hockey is not simply a matter of frequency of fisticuffs. The cover story of the Flyers Magazine game program looks at some similar themes, defining the elements particular to Flyers history and the roll call of tough guys. It is a myth that the Flyers "gooned" their way to two Stanley Cups. They were the toughest team in the NHL but that started with superior work ethic and unity rather than chicanery.
Flyers Outlook
The Flyers are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss against the Ottawa Senators that emotionally felt every bit like a regulation defeat because Philadelphia was in control of most of the game. From a practical standpoint, however, the Flyers have three of four points from their last two games and played pretty well in both despite running into strong opposition goaltending in both the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa games.
Steve Mason's tactical error on Kyle Turris' game-tying wraparound goal late in the third period ended up being the focus of attention on a night where he otherwise played very well in stopping 24 of 26 shots plus each of the first four attempts he faced in the shootout. Finally, fifth-round shooter Erik Karlsson scored to secure the bonus point for the Senators.
It should also said that, while Mason's positioning was the primary culprit on the fateful play and Brandon Manning positionally took away the area inside the dots as Turris attacked with speed, it wasn't exactly ideal defensive execution, either. Manning got turnstiled to the outside and was of no help in cutting off or slowing down Turris as he cut quickly around the net. Even if he had taken a penalty, it would have been preferable to letting his check have free reign and unimpeded path. With Mason overcommitted, and Radko Gudas trying to seal off the opposite slot,the goal was as good as scored once Turris skated unimpeded wide. Additionally, there was a partial line change going on which is why Turris had a head of steam in the first place and Manning was forced to take the most conservative of all possible ways to defend him.
As such, to pin the entire blame on Mason was unfair. There were several things at work, even if Mason was the one with the biggest gaffe on the play. To have three consecutive power plays go awry with a chance to extended a lead in the third period, to not get scored against on several point blank chances including a 2-on-0 breakaway in overtime and then to get four straight shootout saves but to go 0-for-5 among your own shooters, making the goalie the primary scapegoat seemed quite unfair to what transpired on the whole and not just on one play.
Nick Cousins, who had two breakaways and a shootout attempt for Philadelphia, and Michael Raffl scored the goals for Philly against Ottawa. Lineups will be updated after Thursday's morning skate.
Jets Outlook
The Jets have been an inconsistent team of late, but things were looking up after an impressive 4-0 home shutout win over the Central Division leading Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Young goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves to earn the win. Dynamic and ultra-confident rookie forward Patrik Laine continued his assault on the NHL as he notched his his NHL-leading 12th goal. Josh Morrissey (first NHL goal) Nic Petan and Chris Thorburn also scored for the Jets.
With the win, it became easier to view the Jets' recent body of work in terms of the team gaining points in seven of the last 10 games (5-3-2) and earning back-to-back wins against Los Angeles (via shootout) and Chicago. Overall, the Jets are 5-2-2 for the month on November, including an 8-2 humiliation of what thus far has been a very inconsistent Dallas Stars team.
Historically, when the Flyers have played against the current-day incarnation of the Jets, the outcomes have significantly hinged on whether Dustin Byfuglien creates or costs more for his team against Philly in his extensive ice time. Over the years, he's succeeded big and failed big against the Flyers -- sometimes with the same game -- but he's rarely been a non-factor.
Winnipeg remains without Bryan Little (lower-body injury). However, he has joined the team for its road trip and could join the lineup soon.
Projected Lineups (subject to change, will be updated)
FLYERS (will be updated)
10 Brayden Schenn- 28 Claude Giroux - 17 Wayne Simmonds 11 Travis Konecny - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jakub Voracek 12 Michael Raffl - 78 P-E Bellemare - 24 Matt Read 76 Chris VandeVelde - 25 Nick Cousins - 22 Dale Weise
15 Michael Del Zotto - 47 Andrew MacDonald 23 Brandon Manning - 3 Radko Gudas 9 Ivan Provorov - 32 Mark Streit
35 Steve Mason [41 Anthony Stolarz]
Scratches: Nick Schultz (healthy), Roman Lyubimov (healthy), Shayne Gostisbehere (healthy), Boyd Gordon (LTIR, upper body), Michal Neuvirth (IR, lower body).
JETS
56 Marko Dano - 55 Mark Scheifele - 29 Patrik Laine 27 Nikolaj Ehlers - 19 Nicolas Petan - 26 Blake Wheeler Quinton Howden - 17 Adam Lowry - 13 Brandon Tanev 91 Alex Burmistrov - 9 Andrew Copp - 22 Chris Thorburn
44 Josh Morrissey - 33 Dustin Byfuglien 39 Tobias Enström - 8 Jacob Trouba 7 Ben Chiarot - 4 Paul Postma
37 Connor Hellebyck [34 Michael Hutchinson]
Scratches: Bryan Little (IR, lower-body), Tyler Myers (healthy), Mark Stuart, Chase DeLeo.