Flyers to set NHL record with eighth goalie used this season

The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to set an NHL record by using their eighth goalie this season with Cam Talbot scheduled to start against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.

Talbot, who was acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 15, was the backup to Brian Elliott against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, his third straight game in uniform after being scratched the previous three.
"It's the right opportunity," Flyers coach Scott Gordon said. "We don't want to go back to back with goalies, do as much as we can to prevent that. It's better for the two goalies so it's the perfect opportunity for [Talbot] to get in and play."
The Flyers had been one of four teams to use seven goalies in a season, along with the Quebec Nordiques in 1989-90, the St. Louis Blues in 2002-03 and the Los Angeles Kings in 2007-08. Gordon was one of the seven to play for the Nordiques.
Talbot, who last played Feb. 9, was 10-15-3 with a 3.36 goals-against average and .893 save percentage in 31 games with the Oilers.

Rookie Carter Hart, the seventh goalie to play this season when he made his NHL debut Dec. 18, leads Flyers goalies with 22 games. He is out with an ankle injury sustained at the morning skate prior to a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 21.
Thursday will be Elliott's fifth straight game and third straight start. He's second on the Flyers with 18 games but missed three months with a lower-body injury sustained Nov. 15. Since returning to the lineup, he is 2-0-0 with a 2.21 GAA and .940 save percentage in four games.
Anthony Stolarz, who was traded to the Oilers for Talbot, played 12 games. Calvin Pickard, who was claimed on waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 2 after Michal Neuvirth sustained a lower-body injury during training camp, played 11 games before he was waived and claimed by the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 29.
Neuvirth has played seven games but has been out since Jan. 3 with a lower-body injury. Alex Lyon played two games, and Mike McKenna, who was claimed on waivers from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 4, played one game. Lyon and McKenna are with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
NHL.com correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report