VOORHEES, N.J. — When teams are winning, coaches usually don’t make lineup changes one game to the next. So when the Flyers won the first three games of their best-of-seven playoff series with Pittsburgh, coach Rick Tocchet didn’t have to fiddle with his starting 18 position players.

Then came Saturday night’s 4-2 loss to the Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Tocchet knew he had to do something personnel-wise, if only to shake things up.

Sunday, he made a noteworthy move by inserting left wing Alex Bump, who had been a healthy scratch for the first four games, into the lineup for Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Monday and sending Matvei Michkov to the bench.

Michkov, who finished the regular season strong, has been invisible this series, with no points and a minus-1. In Game 4, he played only 11 minutes and a non-factor.

During Sunday’s practice at the Flyers Training Zone, coach Rick Tocchet explained why he made the switch.

“He (Bump) really looked good in practice, with his shot and energy,” Tocchet said. “I think after last game we need some energy. We just have to step it up a bit tomorrow.”

Michkov has been an enigma all season. The 22-year-old Russian enjoyed a brilliant rookie season with 26 goals but struggled this year and had to step up his game in the last two weeks just to hit the 20 mark.

The stakes are higher, and the Flyers can’t sit around waiting for him to regain his touch.

“I just think he’s part of a young group,” Tocchet said of Michkov. “He probably hit the wall, had a plateau. You know there’s a lot of pace in the playoffs. I think it’s OK to evaluate him once in a while. Give him a rest once in a while, whether it’s Matvei or Bumper’ I think that’s the way you deal with players.”

Bump, who finished the season with five goals and nine points in 17 games, has bided his time. Last year he helped his alma mater, Western Michigan, win the NCAA Division I championship, so he knows what it’s like to play in high-pressure situations.

“Obviously stoked,” he said. “Just try and help the team any way I can, whether that’s blocking shots or scoring goals. Whatever I can do to help is what I’m going to try and do.”

The key for Bump has been to stay ready. He’s had some practice at it, scratched several times during the regular season.

“That’s huge,” he said. “You can get out of shape like in three days. Just try to stay in shape, keep the legs ready. And mentally as well.”

Watching from the sidelines does have a few benefits.

“It’s kind of nice to watch the first four games,” Bump said. “Not nice, but it definitely helps a lot. You can see the whole view of it. I’m not going to complain about it. Just trying to work my way back in.”

At the Sunday workout, Bump was skating with center Noah Cates, one of the Flyers’ top playmakers.

“He’s strong, he’s heavy, a great shot,” Cates said. “He’s been working so hard this year. He’s been kind of in and out of the lineup but whenever he’s come back he’s had some jam, getting shots and whatnot. He’s been contributing all year and he’s a big part of our future.”

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The Flyers won 23 road games, fourth-best all-time in club history, plus two in the playoffs.

Besides good fundamentals, what have been some elements to the team’s road success?

“I think we get to our identity a little quicker,” Tocchet said. “I think we need players to hold onto more pucks, make more plays through the neutral zone. We’ve deferred to the flip. When we lead, we want to protect things but we want to push the pace. Have we done that more on the road? Maybe.”

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Tocchet is now having his second great season out of the last three behind NHL benches. Two years ago, he led the Vancouver Canucks to the Pacific Division title.

He gives a lot of credit for his coaching acumen to his former team, Pittsburgh. He learned at the knee of former head coach Mike Sullivan when he was an assistant coach as the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016-17.

“Learning on that staff from Mike Sullivan and Jacques Martin,” Tocchet said. “It was a great learning (experience). Coaching the high end players like Sid (Crosby) and (Evgeni) Malkin. To be able to learn from those guys – their day-to-day preparation. Learning outside the box with those guys was great.”

Tocchet also played on a line with Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux when the Pens won the Cup in 1992.

“Playing with Mario, being on his line, how do you not (succeed) … a phenomenal player,” Tocchet said. “It was an unreal experience for me, to learn from that, especially when you win.”