Lindblom back in lineup, but another change coming?

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In the second game of their three-game homestand, the Flyers (8-4-2) take on the two-time defending champion Lightning (8-3-3) on Thursday night.

Let's get into the essentials for the game:

  • When: 7 p.m. ET with The Warm Up at 6 p.m. ET and Flyers Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Wells Fargo Center
  • Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
  • Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

• After being healthy scratched for a one-game reset, Oskar Lindblom is back in the lineup on Hockey Fights Cancer night at the Wells Fargo Center.

"I believe in Oskar, I think he's got all the tools," Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Thursday morning. "He's going to work his way back to the player that he was. That's what we're trying to do with him and that's what he's trying to do also. That does mean right now that he's in different phases in our lineup, but I do think Oskar can be a top-six forward."

In 13 games, Lindblom has one point and is without a goal. He entered training camp in excellent shape as his fitness test results showed he was back to his pre-cancer diagnosis strength and conditioning.

The Swedish winger hasn't played poorly. It's not like he has been a liability, but the Flyers could use his production.

"I feel like I've been playing pretty good, I'm getting chances and all of that," Lindblom said. "Can't really get the puck in but I think that's going to come if I keep doing the things I'm doing out there. Hopefully tonight can be a good game to score that first one. I'd be a little bit more stressed if I didn't get chances. Hopefully I can keep pushing and be better every day."

Lindblom is entering the lineup for Patrick Brown, who dislocated his thumb in the Flyers' 2-1 OT win Tuesday over the Flames. Brown was being evaluated Thursday morning and his status is currently week to week.

But according to Vigneault, the Lindblom-Brown swap might not be the only lineup change.

"I'm not going to give you my lines right now because there's a possibility someone else might not play," Vigneault said after his team's optional morning skate. "I'm going to find out in about an hour and something, so might have some surprises for you tonight."

Cam Atkinson and Kevin Hayes are good to go. Atkinson missed practice Wednesday for a maintenance day but skated Thursday morning. Hayes, who had an injury scare Tuesday night, practiced Wednesday and skated briefly Thursday morning.

With Brown hurt, the Flyers don't have an extra player on their roster, so we'll see if they make a call-up. If they don't, then the player in which Vigneault said was iffy should be fine for tonight.

More: Late comeback bid falls short for Flyers, who have surprise absence

• The Flyers' power play is 3 for 34 over the past 10 games. Overall, it ranks 26th in the league at 15.6 percent.

The Flyers have scored only 1.63 goals per game over their last eight games, a stretch in which they've gone 4-3-1.

Things don't get easier for the Flyers, who face Andrei Vasilevskiy tonight. Tampa Bay's netminder is 8-2-0 with a 2.47 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in his career against the Flyers.

The Flyers have yet to win consecutive games in November but they also haven't lost consecutive games all season. They're one of three NHL teams that have yet to lose two games in a row. The Hurricanes and Oilers are the other two clubs. Interestingly and impressively, the Flyers have wins over both of them.

Projected lineup

 

Forwards

Joel Farabee-Sean Couturier-James van Riemsdyk

Claude Giroux-Derick Brassard-Cam Atkinson

Oskar Lindblom-Scott Laughton-Travis Konecny

Max Willman-Nate Thompson-Zack MacEwen

Defensemen

Ivan Provorov-Justin Braun

Travis Sanheim-Rasmus Ristolainen

Keith Yandle-Nick Seeler

Goalies

Carter Hart

Martin Jones

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