The latest on Hart and a defenseman comes out because of injury

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Get ready to see a lot of the Devils.

The Flyers (21-19-7) begin a full week of games against New Jersey when they host the Devils (14-27-6) on Sunday.

Let's get into the essentials for the game:

  • When: 6 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live at 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Wells Fargo Center
  • Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
  • Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

• Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault on Wednesday labeled Carter Hart (mild knee sprain) as day to day.

Hart did not travel with the Flyers for the team's back-to-back set on the road against the Rangers over Thursday and Friday at Madison Square Garden.

Vigneault said he wasn't concerned at all about Hart's injury. Given they're out of the playoff race with nine games left in the season, the Flyers are obviously erring on the side of caution with their 22-year-old goalie. 

"Hopefully when we get back from New York, he'll be back with his teammates," Vigneault said Wednesday.

However, Hart was not on the ice Sunday with his teammates for the club's morning skate. Brian Elliott is expected to start against New Jersey. Alex Lyon, who is expected to back up Elliott, and Felix Sandstrom were the Flyers' goalies in morning skate. Vigneault will hold his pregame media availability at 3:30 p.m. ET, so we'll know more then about Hart.

If and when Hart is going to play again this season, the team will want his knee to feel 100 percent healthy. Perhaps it's not quite there yet, as Vigneault indicated on Wednesday that Hart's recovery was taking "a little longer" than the club originally anticipated.

Update: Hart is "still feeling a little bit of discomfort," Vigneault said. Vigneault said the Flyers are "just being a little bit cautious there; I know how badly he wants to get back at it."

Hart was scratched from his scheduled start on April 17. He last played April 15, when he made 31 saves in the Flyers' 2-1 shootout win over the Penguins.

• For unknown reasons, Shayne Gostisbehere did not partake in the Flyers' morning skate. His status is uncertain, but considering he missed the team's skate, there's a good chance he won't play tonight. Vigneault is expected to provide an update on Gostisbehere before the game.

Update: Gostisbehere is expected to miss seven to 10 days with a minor MCL sprain.

Since Feb. 24, Gostisbehere has put up 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 28 games. His eight goals over that span are second most among all NHL defensemen, behind only the Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun, who has 10.

• The Flyers play four straight games against the Devils.

New Jersey is 1-11-2 in its last 14 games.

Projected lineup

 

Forwards

Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek

Joel Farabee-Kevin Hayes-Travis Konecny

James van Riemsdyk-Scott Laughton-Wade Allison

Oskar Lindblom-Jackson Cates-Nolan Patrick

Defensemen

Ivan Provorov-Justin Braun

Travis Sanheim-Robert Hagg

Samuel Morin-Philippe Myers

Goalies

Brian Elliott

Alex Lyon

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