Flyers vs. Sabres preview, lineups, TV info, live stream and discussion thread

The Flyers are in Buffalo tonight for a hockey game in the month of may that matters. For, uhh, both teams. Kinda? Maybe?

Philadelphia enters tonight’s game on the road with a three-point gap between them and the final wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Immediately behind them in the standings? Well, it’s the Sabres! They’re two points back of Philadelphia entering the evening — albeit with a two game head start — and could be tied in points with a win tonight.

This game is one of two things from the Flyers perspective: an important two points that could help boost their playoff hopes, or ... really damn sad that we’re reduced to the level of the Buffalo friggin’ Sabres this late in the season. Or both! I guess it could always be both.

In any event, Dave Hakstol says he’ll go with the same lineup as we saw in Washington on Saturday night. It’ll be Steve Mason vs. Robin Lehner in goal. The Sabres lineup has players on it, in theory. There’s a list of them below. If you’ve heard of more than 10 of them you win the Grand Prize!

Here’s your in-depth analysis of this hockey game: the Flyers need to win. That’s it. If you can’t beat the Sabres in an important game in March, during a game in which you desperately need two points, then you’re probably just a mediocre-at-best hockey team not worth much attention. If they lose tonight ... I don’t know, NFL free agency just started or whatever.

Philadelphia lineup

Forwards

1. Jordan Weal - Claude Giroux - Wayne Simmonds
2. Brayden Schenn - Valtteri Filppula - Jakub Voracek
3. Nick Cousins - Sean Couturier - Matt Read
4. Chris VandeVelde - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Travis Konecny

Defense

1. Ivan Provorov - Andrew MacDonald
2. Brandon Manning - Shayne Gostisbehere
3. Michael Del Zotto - Radko Gudas

Goalies

1. Steve Mason
2. Michal Neuvirth

Scratches: Michael Raffl (inj), Dale Weise, Nick Schultz

Buffalo lineup

1. Evander Kane - Ryan O’Reilly - Brian Gionta
2. Marcus Foligno - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart
3. Justin Vrana - Evan Rodrigues - Matt Moulson
4. Nic Deslauriers - Zemgus Girgensons - Tyler Ennis

Defense

1. Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen
2. Justin Falk - Zach Bogosian
3. Josh Gorges - Cody Franson

Goalies

1. Robin Lehner
2. Anders Nilsson