Devils at Flyers
The New Jersey Devils bid to rebound from their first loss of the season when they visit the Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers for a matinee on Saturday. The Devils will look to vent their frustrations after squandering a third-period lead in a 5-3 setback to Colorado on Thursday against a Flyers' squad that has been gouged for 11 goals over the last two contests.
"It's pretty embarrassing," Philadelphia center Sean Couturier said in the wake of Thursday's 6-3 setback in Columbus. "Offensively, we're trying too much, making high-risk plays. We're creating chances, but when we're not, we're giving up odd-man rushes and getting caught defensively. It's got to stop." Captain Claude Giroux recorded his fourth multi-point performance in five outings with a pair of assists against the Blue Jackets, although Keith Kinkaid routinely has gotten the Flyers' number. The 29-year-old Kinkaid boasts a 6-1-0 mark with a 2.38 goals-against average and .918 save percentage versus Philadelphia. New Jersey, however, will be short-handed of sort as Travis Zajac and defenseman Ben Lovejoy have been ruled out for Saturday's tilt after each sustained a lower-body injury against the Avalanche.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus, Sportsnet, NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE DEVILS (4-1-0): Coach John Hynes labeled Zajac and Lovejoy as day-to-day and had Blake Coleman and defenseman Steven Santini in their respective spots during Friday's practice. New Jersey also activated goaltender Cory Schneider and sent the 32-year-old to Binghamton of the American Hockey League for a conditioning assignment. "We want to see him get through a game, see how he responds to 60 minutes while working in more read-and-react situations than just practice," Hynes said of Schneider, who is working his way back from surgery to repair torn cartilage in his hip. "It's important for him to play a live-game situation against another opponent where the score of the game matters."
ABOUT THE FLYERS (3-4-0): Coach Dave Hakstol told reporters that several members of the team are "trying to do too much" and when that's the case, "most times that's when some negative things come right back at you." Defenseman Ivan Provorov could very well be one of those players, as the promising Russian answered a plus-5 rating in his first 171 career games with a minus-5 rating in seven contests this season. "I think I can play better. You can always play better. And that's what I'm going to do (Saturday)," the 21-year-old Provorov told Philly.com
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia C Nolan Patrick practiced on Friday and appears set to end a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury.
2. Devils C Nico Hischier, who was the top overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft (Patrick went second), had two goals and two assists in four encounters versus the Flyers last season.
3. Philadelphia RW Jakub Voracek has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games after collecting five points in a 7-4 win over Ottawa on Oct. 10.