5 Things: Flyers vs. Bruins

The Flyers (2-1-0 in the preseason) are at home Saturday night against the Boston Bruins. Game time at Wells Fargo Center is 7:00 p.m. EDT. If you are unable to attend, the game will be televised on NBCSP+ or NHL Network (depending on your location).

Here are five things to keep in mind when tilting on Saturday:

1. A new combo with Michkov: In most practices during training camp and in both games he played in the preseason, Matvei Michkov skated on a line with Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett. They showed signs of good chemistry early on. In the meantime, the Flyers want to try out their 19-year-old top prospect with different linemates. Frost and Tippett have Saturday off. Michkov will run on the same line alongside Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny ​​- initially on the left wing and not on the right wing as usual. This is a potentially dominant trio in its own right.

2. Another look at Luchanko: 18-year-old junior Jett Luchanko will dress for the third time in the team's fourth preseason game. He had a pretty quiet night offensively in Thursday's 2-0 win over the Islanders, but played in a variety of game situations and centered a line with Konecny ​​​​and Tyson Foerster. On Saturday, his likely linemates are Joel Farabee and Bobby Brink. Brink is also competing for the third time in the pre-season.

3. Big follow-up for Farabee?: Joel Farabee, part of the Flyers' “F Troop” brigade along with Foerster and Frost, opened the preseason with a four-point lead (power play goal, three assists) in a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals. His linemates that afternoon were Brink (2 goals) and Luchanko (two assists). Farabee is expected to see time on Saturday as part of the second power play unit along with Luchanko, Couturier, Egor Zamula and Anthony Richard.

4. On the “hunt”: Rookie blueline hopeful Hunter McDonald is working toward making his NHL regular-season debut sometime this upcoming regular season. On Saturday night, the former Northeastern University blueliner will be paired with veteran Rasmus Ristolainen (at least based on what was presented in the morning skate). This would be a very physically formidable and aggressive duo if kept together for the game. Ristolainen, now fully healthy after an injury-riddled 2023-24 season, was a bright spot in Monday's otherwise perfunctory 5-0 loss in Montreal.

5. A big task for Fedotov: Hulking Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov will make his second preseason start. After Samuel Ersson posted an impressive 37-save shutout on Thursday, Fedotov will look to put together an “A” game against the Bruins. Fedotov parted ways with rookie Carson Bjarnason (who has since been loaned back to the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings) last Sunday's game in Washington. Fedotov played the first two periods of the game and stopped 10 of 12 shots. He wasn't tested much, but was able to stop a breakaway in the first period. Fedotov had little chance to stop either of Washington's two goals: a shot that deflected off teammate Nick Seeler and a searing one-timer from beyond the arc.