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At the Rink blog

At the Rink: Flyers at Devils

Saturday, 01.03.2015 / 7:00 PM

By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer / 2014-2015 At the Rink blog

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2014-2015 At the Rink blog
At the Rink: Flyers at Devils

NEWARK, N.J. -- Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux will not play Saturday against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.

Giroux sustained a cut on the back of his left leg Friday in a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

"I think it's just how he feels," Flyers coach Craig Berube said before the game. "I'm not sure, I've never had that [injury], but I'm sure he just wants to see how he feels. I can't really comment on it other than that."

Berube also said second-line center Scott Laughton will not play Saturday because of an undisclosed injury. With Laughton's absence, Brayden Schenn will shift from left wing on the second line to center, and Zac Rinaldo would return to the lineup. Rinaldo last played Dec. 20.

Giroux had said Friday he would probably be able to play Saturday when he spoke to reporters following the game in Raleigh, N.C.

"I'll see how it feels, but I would think so," Giroux said. "I'm not a doctor or anything but I'm pretty sure I got lucky there. It was pretty scary."

The Devils recalled defenseman Mark Fraser from Albany of the American Hockey League on Saturday, general manager Lou Lamoriello said. Fraser is expected to make his season debut against the Flyers because Peter Harrold (head) and Eric Gelinas (ill) are not available.

Fraser signed an AHL contract with Albany on Nov. 2, but was added to the Devils roster Dec. 18 when he signed a one-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract. He was assigned to Albany at that time, but the two-way contract gave New Jersey the option to recall him.

He has three points and 45 penalty minutes in 18 games with Albany this season. He last appeared in an NHL game April 12, 2014, for the Edmonton Oilers.

This is the second game in a back-to-back set for the Flyers and Devils, who split the first two games in their four-game season series.

The Devils are 2-4-2 in the second game of a back-to-back set this season; the Flyers are 2-4-1.

The Flyers come in riding a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). This is the final game of a season-high eight-game road trip for Philadelphia. The Flyers are 3-3-1 so far. They scored 16 goals in winning the first three games, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild; they have seven goals in their past four games.

The Devils have lost two in a row and five of their past six (1-4-1). They have five wins in 23 games (5-13-5) since the last time they had back to back wins (Nov. 11-14). They have scored two or fewer goals in 21 of their past 27 games.

Here are the projected lineups:

FLYERS

Michael Raffl -Vincent Lecavalier - Jakub Voracek

Zac Rinaldo - Brayden Schenn - Wayne Simmonds

Matt Read - Sean Couturier - R.J. Umberger

Chris VandeVelde - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Nicklas Grossmann - Mark Streit

Nick Schultz - Braydon Coburn

Andrew MacDonald - Michael Del Zotto

Luke Schenn

Ray Emery

Steve Mason

Scratched: Carlo Colaiacovo

Injured: Claude Giroux (leg), Ryan White (pectoralis surgery), Kimmo Timonen (blood clot), Scott Laughton (undisclosed)

DEVILS

Dainius Zubrus - Scott Gomez - Jaromir Jagr

Patrik Elias - Travis Zajac - Martin Havlat

Mike Cammalleri - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder

Tuomo Ruutu - Tim Sestito - Jordin Tootoo

Andy Greene - Jon Merrill

Seth Helgeson - Marek Zidlicky

Mark Fraser - Adam Larsson

Cory Schneider

Keith Kinkaid

Scratched: None

Injured: Bryce Salvador (lower body), Ryane Clowe (concussion), Peter Harrold (head), Damon Severson (ankle), Jacob Josefson (illness), Stephen Gionta (broken hand), Steve Bernier (left hip), Eric Gelinas (illness)

Status report: Schneider will get the start for the Devils after being the backup to Kinkaid on Friday. Emery is expected to start for the Flyers. … Bernier told NorthJersey.com that he'd be ready to play if needed, and Lamoriello said he would be a game-time decision. Bernier missed the game Friday against Montreal. … Josefson, who is ineligible to come off injured reserve until Tuesday, participated in the Devils' optional morning skate. … Read started the game Friday on the top line with Giroux and Voracek but was switched with Raffl at the start of the third period.

Who's hot: Ryder scored Friday, ending a 21-game streak without a goal. … Cammalleri also scored for the Devils against Montreal, his first goal since Dec. 4. … Voracek has nine points during the first seven games of the Flyers' road trip. Giroux has eight points, including five goals, on the trip, and Streit has six points, with an assist in six of the seven games.

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