Rick Tocchet's Philadelphia Flyers are home on Thursday evening to host Marco Sturm's Boston Bruins at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Game time is 7:00 p.m. EDT. The match will be broadcast on NBCSP+.
The Flyers are 0-2-0 in the preseason to date. The main issue stemmed from third period fades in a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday in Hershey and a 5-1 defeat in Boston the next night.
Here are the RAV4 Things to watch on Thursday.
1. Flyers veterans
By NHL rule, veteran NHL players are now limited to a maximum of two preseason appearances. The Flyers saved their two home games for most of their veterans to get tuneup outings before the start of the season.
None of these veteran players appeared in either of the two games played to date: Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Christian Dvorak, team captain Sean Couturier, Noel Acciari, Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, or Jamie Drysdale.
Consequently, all of these players are available for the final two preseason games. Meanwhile, the following veterans are available either for Thursday or Saturday. They appeared on Tuesday in Boston: Noah Cates, Owen Tippett, and Nick Seeler.
The two-game limit does not apply to NHLers with fewer than 100 games played in the league. Porter Matone played in the preseason opener but is eligble for both remaining preseason games if Tocchet so chooses.
2. Injury Report
Both Denver Barkey (lower body) and goaltender Dan Vladar (upper body) are officially day-to-day. Barkey practiced in a no-contact jersey on Wednesday. Vladar did not practice on Thursday.
It is likely that Joseph Woll and Aleksei Kolosov will split the goaltending duties in the final two preseason games. Woll played the first 40 minutes of Monday's game against the Capitals. Kolosov played most of Tuesday's game after Vladar left in the first period.
3. Power play
The Flyers unveiled a new PP1 personnel arrangement at Wednesday's practice: Defenseman Drysdale manned the point with Zegras, Michkov, Foerster, and Martone up front.
Tippett and Konecny, who were PP1 staples most of last season may start out on the second power play unit.
4. Roster battles: 13/7 or 12/8?
One of the main decisions the Flyers still have to make before opening night is whether to carry seven or eight defensemen on their opening roster. They also need to determine one starting blueline spot. The competitors: David Jiricek, Oliver Bonk and veteran Simon Benoit.
Up front, rookie hopeful Cole Knuble remains in the hunt for a roster spot. He impressed in both preseason games to date as well as last Saturday's scrimmage in Voorhees.
