Flyers-Sharks 5 things: Slumping offense debuts new lines vs. Sharks' stiff defense

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Flyers (26-22-7) vs. Sharks (33-18-4)
1 p.m. on CSN, CSNPhilly.com and the NBC Sports App

The Flyers close out their season-long five-game homestand with a game vs. the Pacific-leading Sharks. Here are five things to watch for Saturday.

1. New lines … again
It’s time to switch things up … again. With the Flyers scoring just 13 goals over their last 10 games, Dave Hakstol will again throw new line combinations at the wall to see what sticks.

After snapping a two-game goal-less drought, the Flyers managed just one goal Thursday vs. the Islanders, and now they’re down Travis Konecny, who was put on IR Friday.

Enter Jordan Weal, the AHL’s second leading scorer with 47 points (15 goals). The speedy center — who came over from the Kings in the Luke Schenn and Vinny Lecavalier trade last year — will shift to left wing on Sean Couturier’s line with Jake Voracek. Weal’s speed is a welcome addition to the Flyers, who have been noticeably outskated in recent games.

The fourth line will stay intact, while Claude Giroux will center Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds on the top line with Nick Cousins centering Michael Raffl and Matt Read on the third line.

2. Shark attack
Those new lines have their work cut out for them going up against the Sharks, who allow the fourth-fewest goals in the league. After losing the Stanley Cup Final to the Penguins last season, the Sharks have picked up right where they left off. The Sharks hold opponents to just 27.4 shots per game.

Meanwhile, the Flyers’ offensive struggles have stemmed from a lack of shots on goal with the team recently focused on a defense-first mentality. Not only are the Flyers not getting shots on goal — just 25.5 per game during their current five-game homestand — but the shots they do get off are from low-danger areas and one-and-done trips to the offensive zone. That will have to change if the Flyers want to make the playoffs. 

3. Ghostly encounter
One bright spot — and maybe the only bright spot — from the Flyers’ lackluster loss to the Islanders Thursday was the impressive play of Shayne Gostisbehere, fresh off a three-game benching.

“Ghost” picked up an assist on the Flyers’ lone goal, a power-play tally from Simmonds. It may have not looked like much, but Gostisbehere simply put the puck on net, something he has struggled to do this season, for Simmonds to clean up. More importantly, “Ghost” was solid in his own end in a new pairing with Mark Streit.

Gostisbehere kept it simple and responded well to his benching, an encouraging sign going forward. 

4. Home is where the losses are
The Flyers’ season-long five-game homestand has not gone the team’s way. After an encouraging win over a good Canadiens team, the Flyers have laid an egg, dropping two shutouts to the Kings in overtime and the Blues in regulation. That was followed by a divisional loss to the Islanders, which dropped them out of the second wild-card spot.

That’s a grand total of three of a possible eight points this homestand. The Flyers desperately need to salvage two points today, before launching a three-game Western Canada swing next week. 

5. This and that
• Michal Neuvirth gets the start today. In three games this month, Neuvirth is 1-1-1 with a stellar 1.34 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. It’s his starting job to lose at this point.

• Brent Burns leads all defensemen in goals with 22 and 57 points. For comparison, Simmonds leads the Flyers with 22 goals and Voracek leads the team with 46 points.

• The Flyers are just 6-12-5 since their 10-game win streak ended on Dec. 17. 

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