Game 31 Preview: Flyers @ Devils

John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers (9-14-7) are in Newark on Thursday to take on Lindy Ruff's New Jersey Devils (21-6- 2). Game time at the Prudential Center is 7:00 p.m. ET.

The Flyers reached the 30-game mark on the season on Tuesday. One bad period -- the second, in this case -- proved to be their undoing in a 3-2 road loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Cam York (1st goal of the season) and James van Riemsyk (6-on-5, 4th goal of the season) scored in a losing cause. Felix Sandstrom got his first start in net over a 17-day period. He played well overall but took the loss. The Flyers have won just two of their last 18 games (2-11-5) and they are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

Zack MacEwen missed the game in Denver due to a lower-body injury sustained in the third period of the Arizona game. He is officially a game-time decision against the Devils. The Flyers recalled forward Olle Lycksell from the Phantoms on Thursday. He's an option if MacEwen needs more time. Max Willman, who played very sparingly in Colorado, is also available.

Tony DeAngelo has taken family-related personal leave after missing the last three games (two for family reasons). He's been placed on non-roster status temporarily.

The Devils are in first place in the Metropolitan Division and bring a 10-5-1 home record into this game. However, the team has cooled off a bit so far in December. The team is 2-2-2 through its first six games of the month and is winless in its last three games.

PROJECTED LINEUPS (as of morning skate)

Flyers

13 Kevin Hayes - 49 Noah Cates -11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk - 48 Morgan Frost - 74 Owen Tippett
62 Olle Lycksell - 21 Scott Laughton - 86 Joel Farabee
44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 23 Lukas Sedlak - 17 Zack MacEwen

9 Ivan Provorov - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
6 Travis Sanheim - 45 Cam York
24 Nick Seeler - 61 Justin Braun

79 Carter Hart
[32 Felix Sandström]

Devils

90 Tomas Tatar - 13 Nico Hischier - 49 Fabian Zetterlund
17 Yegor Sharangovich - 86 Jack Hughes - 63 Jesper Bratt
44 Miles Wood - 56 Erik Haula - 91 Dawson Mercer
70 Jesper Boqvist - 29 Michael McLeod - 10 Alexander Holtz

71 Jonas Siegenthaler - 7 Dougie Hamilton
33 Ryan Graves - 6 John Marino
2 Brendan Smith - 28 Damon Severson

41 Vitek Vanecek
[40 Akira Schmid]

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