Flyers at Devils, Game 50 of 2021 season: Live stream, storylines, game time and more

The Flyers (22-20-7) on Thursday play their third of four straight games against the Devils (15-27-7).

Let's get into the essentials for the game:

When: 7 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Prudential Center
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

• For the first time in his Flyers career, Kevin Hayes will miss a game. The 28-year-old center had played in all 118 games with the Flyers since signing in June 2019.

Alain Vigneault is scratching Hayes and inserting Carsen Twarynski into the lineup. While Vigneault said that Hayes is not completely healthy, the head coach noted the decision is more performance-based. Vigneault also noted how the Flyers are continuing to utilize their final games to further evaluate younger players vying for jobs next season.

"Kevin, like all players at this time, is not 100 percent," Vigneault said before the game. "But also, in my estimation, even though he's not at 100 percent, he should be playing more efficiently and better than he is right now.

"He's a proud young man that wants to be a Flyer and wants to be a big part of being a Flyer. Like I said, he's not at 100 percent, but his play is dictating more tonight the fact that he's not playing. I really believe that he can be quite a bit more effective at both ends of the rink. Right now, there are some young players also that we want to see and get a look at. All those components came into that decision."

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Last week, Hayes labeled his season as "average." He has no goals and three assists over his past 15 games. It's not all about offensive production with Hayes; he's at his best when he's changing the game from a 200-foot perspective, something he did more consistently last season.

"I want to help the team every single night and I feel like I haven't done that as much this year," Hayes said last week. "That's something I need to work on and keep working on."

• If the Flyers win tonight, they'll avoid being eliminated from the playoff race for another day.

However, the Flyers can be officially knocked out of contention tonight if they lose in regulation and the Islanders and Bruins both win. The Flyers would also be eliminated if they fall in regulation while the Islanders lose after regulation or the Bruins lose after regulation.

The Islanders visit the Rangers at 7 p.m. ET and the Bruins host the Sabres at 7 p.m. ET.

• Alex Lyon will start in net for the Flyers, who decided to shut down Carter Hart (MCL sprain in left knee).

The Devils snapped a 10-game losing streak Tuesday night by beating the Flyers, 6-4. New Jersey has not won consecutive games since March 21-23.