Gill to make Flyers debut against Devils

NEWARK, N.J. -- Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Hal Gill will make his season debut Saturday against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET).

Gill, who signed a free-agent contract with the Flyers on Oct. 1, has two goals and 13 points in 52 games against the Devils.

Flyers coach Craig Berube said Gill would be paired with Andre Meszaros, who is making his second appearance in the past eight games. Scratched from the lineup are defensemen Luke Schenn and Erik Gustafsson.

"I just want to shake things up," Berube said.

With Vincent Lecavalier (facial contusion) and Steve Downie (concussion) out, Berube will have Claude Giroux centering Scott Hartnell and Jakub Voracek on the top line. Giroux and Hartnell do not have a goal this season. Voracek has a goal and four points.

Berube wouldn't reveal much more regarding his line combinations. He also wouldn't confirm his starting goalie.

"We had something set in stone [regarding our goalies] and we're going to go with that," Berube said.

Berube said he expects his team to play a good, hard game against the Devils, winners of two straight. The Flyers accrued 99 minutes in penalties in a 7-1 loss to the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.

"I do anticipate they will respond well," Berube said. "I think that they were going in a right direction [on Friday] then took a step back. There are always things you can say and talk about but it's up to them. They need to go out and compete as a team and play as a team. That's the most important thing."

Berube acknowledged his disappointment with Philadelphia's compete level against Washington and is hoping that will change.

"I think the start of it was turnovers; that started a lot of problems but it was a lack of compete and work after that and that's what really bothers me," he said. "So you hope that they play the right way with the puck, not turn it over and that compete level is there."

The coach was asked if he had any issue with goalie Ray Emery leaving his crease and skating the length of the ice to fight Washington goalie Braden Holtby early in the third period Friday. Emery admitted after the game Holtby didn't want to engage him in a fight, but that didn't seem to matter.

"I have no problem with it," Berube said. "He's frustrated and felt he needed to do something and he did."

Here are the probable line combinations for the Flyers:

Scott Hartnell - Claude Giroux - Jakub Voracek

Matt Read - Sean Couturier - Wayne Simmonds

Jay Rosehill - Brayden Schenn - Tye McGinn

Michael Raffl - Zac Rinaldo - Adam Hall

Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn

Andre Meszaros - Hal Gill

Mark Streit - Nicklas Grossman

Steve Mason

Ray Emery

Scratched: Luke Schenn, Erik Gustafsson

Injured: Steve Downie (concussion), Vincent Lecavalier (facial contusion)