Joel Farabee to return for Flyers after three games as a healthy scratch: ‘I don’t want to give up on him’

ELMONT, N.Y. ― Before speaking to the media on Thursday in the bowels of UBS Arena, Flyers coach John Tortorella had just shown clips to his team of the Sean Couturier-Olle Lycksell-Matvei Michkov line doing some things similar to Noah Cates’ line, which has been the Flyers best in recent weeks.

But standing there outside the locker room, Tortorella announced that Lycksell is out for Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m., NBCSP) and that Joel Farabee is back in.

“It’s gonna be a process with him,” Tortorella said of Lycksell, adding that the line did some good things but didn’t create much offense. “I’m a little disappointed in that part of it, and I know he didn’t play much, but I don’t care. You’re going to have to have me trust you to keep you in the lineup, and to have two turnovers in the third period on the wall, that really costs us scoring chances in a 1-1 game. It’s not gonna work.

» READ MORE: Q&A: John Tortorella talks coaching Matvei Michkov, balancing winning and development, and more

“He had some struggles with our coverages because he hasn’t been here. So that has to be taken into my thought, but when you lose battles, you turn pucks over in your end zone in a 1-1 game, third period, you got a short leash.”

So in comes Farabee who was a healthy scratch the last three games, ending his iron-man streak of 216 games. Based on lines during the team’s morning skate, he will take Lycksell’s spot alongside Couturier and Michkov.

And it’s not a bad trio to experiment with. According to Natural Stat Trick, in the 10 minutes and 19 seconds they’ve skated together at five-on-five, they’ve had 12 shot attempts and three by the opposition. The only blotch on the trio’s resumé is they have been outscored 1-0 in that time frame.

“Just go out there and try to make some more plays,” Farabee said. “I think for me when I was playing fourth line, I was just trying to play really simple and safe, and I’m not going to do that anymore. I’m going to go out there. I’m going to take some chances and try to get back to my game.”

Farabee has struggled this year to get on the score sheet. Although Tortorella recently said he didn’t think it was connected to last season’s second-half slide, the 24-year-old has just six goals and 14 points in 42 games after posting a career-high 50 points in 82 games last season.

But while he hasn’t found the back of the net, it’s not for a lack of trying. The 6-foot, 186-pound forward has used his body to drive to the blue paint and create space and scoring chances for his linemates.

At five-on-five this season, Natural Stat Trick credits him with the highest individual expected goals (7.91) and individual high-danger chances (40) on the Flyers. He also has the second-highest number of scoring chances (72) behind Owen Tippett.

“I think for me, just trying to get back on the inside,” he said. “I think just try to get to the net, work hard for my teammates, and just be reliable. I think one thing I pride myself on is being a reliable player, someone that’s trustworthy out there, and hopefully, just get back to that.”

Being involved in the game is important to a head coach. It’s not necessarily about scoring or getting assists. It’s about being noticeable — preferably for doing good things, not bad. Tortorella thinks Farabee can be involved in the right ways.

» READ MORE: Red-hot Morgan Frost is reaping the rewards of a greater emphasis on getting to the net

“He stayed in that lineup because he was involved, Tortorella said. “He was skating. He was developing chances. [He] wasn’t scoring, but I take him out because I just couldn’t find him anymore. ... I don’t want to give up on him because I think he brings some good things to us here, but he was fading. So, he goes back in tonight and I hope he plays with some energy and gets some results. Like to see him get some results because I think that’ll help his confidence.”

Farabee said he is focused on taking advantage of the opportunity to get back in the lineup.

“I think anytime you get to wear this jersey, it’s a privilege and an honor,” he said. “So when you’re out, it makes you miss it for sure. [Stinks] being away from your teammates and not being able to help, but for me, just really nice to be back around the guys, and feels good to be playing again.”

Sam Ersson will start in goal. He has won his last two starts, including a 22-save shutout against the Anaheim Ducks, and is 11-7-2 this season with a 2.87 goals-against average and an .887 save percentage.

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