Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Flyers

Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway participated in the team’s optional morning skate but will miss Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers due to an upper-body injury.

Greenway missed Tuesday’s matchup with Washington along with Thursday’s practice and remains day to day. Sabres coach Don Granato said Thursday that he is hopeful the injury will resolve ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game in Detroit.

Friday’s pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.

Tickets are available here.

Here are five things to know ahead of the game.

1. The wild card race

The Sabres have another opportunity to make up ground in the Eastern Conference wild card race as they trail the Flyers by six points in the standings.

The Flyers have 83 points and are tied with the New York Islanders, who currently hold the final wild card spot. Philadelphia sits in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 36 regulation wins compared to New York’s 34.

Buffalo can move within four points of a playoff spot with a win and losses by both the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings on Friday.

Check out Sabres.com’s wild card race hub for a look at the current playoff picture.

2. Projected lineup

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the first goaltender off the ice and is expected to make his 47th start of the season and 50th appearance of 2023-24.

The Sabres did not run line rushes during their optional skate. Here is the projected lineup based on Thursday’s practice at KeyBank Center:

FORWARDS

77 JJ Peterka – 72 Tage Thompson – 89 Alex Tuch

9 Zach Benson – 24 Dylan Cozens – 22 Jack Quinn

53 Jeff Skinner – 19 Peyton Krebs – 13 Lukas Rousek

50 Eric Robinson – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 71 Victor Olofsson

DEFENSEMEN

26 Rasmus Dahlin - 25 Owen Power

4 Bowen Byram – 10 Henri Jokiharju

78 Jacob Bryson – 75 Connor Clifton

GOALIES

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

31 Eric Comrie

3. Peterka, Thompson, Tuch line

JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch have combined for 26 points (14+12) in the last six games since forming a line together in Edmonton on March 21.

“I think we use our speed well,” Thompson said. “I think JJ and Tuchy are obviously very fast and get on pucks. And I think we get a lot of our offense from creating turnovers, whether it’s on the forecheck or in the neutral zone. Obviously, JJ sees the ice really well and I think we’ve just been reading off each other, getting familiar with each other’s game. I think all three of us like to shoot, so we know if someone’s got the puck, the other two are converging and going to the net. And I think that’s kind of what’s led to a lot of our success.”

For more on the trio’s success, read Thursday’s practice report.

4. Season series

Friday’s matchup marks the third and final meeting between the Sabres and Flyers this season. The two teams split their first two meetings of 2023-24 during a home-and-home set in November.

The Sabres took the first game of the season series, posting a 5-2 win over the Flyers on Nov. 1 in Philadelphia before falling 5-1 in Buffalo on Nov. 3.

5. Scouting the Flyers

The Flyers are winless in their last five games (0-3-2) and have posted a 2-5-3 record in their last 10.

Travis Konecny leads the Flyers with 65 points (31+34) in 70 games.

Goaltender Ivan Fedotov joined Philadelphia last Friday after spending the beginning of the season in the KHL. Fedotov made his NHL debut against the Islanders on Tuesday, entering the game in the second period and stopping 19 of 21 shots in the 4-3 overtime loss.  

Fedotov will make his first career start against the Sabres.