The Philadelphia Flyers changed their lineup for Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, scratching Matvei Michkov and giving Jett Luchanko his playoff debut in a must-win game.
Michkov, who had one assist in eight playoff games this year, was left out after a regular season in which he scored 20 goals and 51 points in 81 games. In his rookie season, he had 63 points in 80 games, and Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy.
The move came with the Flyers facing elimination pressure and the Hurricanes one win from becoming the first team to sweep back-to-back best-of-seven playoff series. A win on Saturday night would also keep Carolina among the postseason’s only undefeated teams, alongside the Colorado Avalanche.
That left Luchanko, making his first playoff appearance, in the middle of a decision that said as much about the Flyers' urgency as it did about Michkov's uneven postseason. For Philadelphia, the question now is whether the lineup change can extend the series long enough to matter.
