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Flyers Gameday: 11-25-09 vs. Islanders |
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PREVIEW (3 AM)
The Flyers (12-8-1) will look to halt their current three-game losing skid when they return to the east coast to take on the New York Islanders (9-8-7) in Uniondale. Philly has dominated the season series in recent years -- Martin Biron's history of success against the Islanders contributed to the club signing him in the offseason -- but this is a game for which the team must come prepared to compete all night.
Even when the Islanders were the next-to-last team in the NHL to record a win this season, the team rarely gave opponents an easy game. Since then, the Islanders have jumped up to bite numerous clubs who were not prepared to match their work ethic. They are also coming off a win. The New York club seems to have worked through a recent rough spell and is 4-4-2 over its last 10 games.
Meanwhile, apart from a 1-3-0 record on the current Flyers' road trip, the club's overall play has been a major disappointment. The Flyers were lucky to open the trip with a win over LA that Philly really didn't deserve. Since then the injuries have continued to pile up, defensive discipline has gone out the window and the club got so-so goaltending from Ray Emery in the Colorado game. Brian Boucher will get the start tonight.
To make matters worse, the Flyers will be without the services of Daniel Briere for the next two games, following his suspension by the NHL for his high hit on Colorado's Scott Hannan. The club was already playing with a line comprised entirely of emergency call-ups from the AHL. Arron Asham may be ready to return tonight, so it does not look like further callups or the insertion of Riley Cote into the lineup will be necessary. Predicting the line combinations for tonight is rather tricky.
In the third period of the Colorado game, John Stevens put Jeff Carter on Mike Richards' wing. Both of the Flyers' marquee forwards had been struggling, but Carter is coming off a two-goal effort in the Avs game. With Briere out for the next two games, Stevens may go back to trying to stack the top line at certain junctures, also working in Claude Giroux from center to wing at times.
No matter how the five-on-five combos line up, Philly absolutely needs to improve on its recent special teams play. The penalty kill and power play have both been awful of late after looking strong for the first six weeks of the season.
Possible Flyers lineup combinations
Hartnell - Richards - Pyorala/Carter
JVR - Carter - Asham/Giroux/Laliberte
Carcillo - Giroux/Pyorala - Laperriere
Nodl - Ross - Laliberte/Asham
Carle - Pronger
Coburn - Timonen
Bartulis - Parent
Boucher
[Emery]
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Our page sponsor, Philly Phaithful, will be having a Black Friday sale on its Flyers, Phillies Eagles and Sixers apparel. Click their link and check out what they have to offer.
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I wll be out of town over the Thanksgiving weekend, and may not have the opportunity to post full-scale game blogs for the game against Buffalo on Friday and Atlanta on Saturday. However, I will post abbreviated blog for the Atlanta game. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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