Philly Leader

John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers will face Patrick Roy's New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont on Thursday evening. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted on NBCSP, with radio coverage available on 97.5 The Fanatic and an online simulcast on Flyers Radio 24/7.

This match marks the first of four encounters between the two teams this season. They are set to meet again at UBS Arena on January 24, followed by games at Wells Fargo Center on January 30 and April 12.

The Flyers have a recent record of 2-0-1 but lost ground in the Eastern Conference wildcard race after a shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Meanwhile, the Islanders are coming off a home shutout loss against the Ottawa Senators but previously secured victories over the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah.

Samuel Ersson, who had a break during Tuesday's game in Columbus, is expected to start for the Flyers. He has played well recently, including a shutout against Anaheim. Ivan Fedotov appears to have reclaimed his position as the backup goalie from rookie Aleksei Kolosov.

Bobby Brink ended a 20-game goalless streak with a goal against Columbus, following consistent play over recent weeks. His focus remains on being a "checking forward" and distributing the puck under Tortorella's guidance.

The Islanders are known for their low-scoring games and rely heavily on blocking shots and forcing opponents into grinding matches. They rank 29th in goals per game while the Flyers rank 14th.

Flyers' leading scorer Travis Konecny aims to avoid going three consecutive games without scoring points after not contributing directly in Columbus. He has six points over his last five games.

Anders Lee leads the Islanders in scoring with 19 goals and has been effective near the net, posing challenges for opposing teams including the Flyers.