Update 1:30 PM
James van Riemsdyk will be a healthy scratch tonight, as Andreas Nodl (shoulder) returns to the lineup and the club continues to look at Eric Wellwood. Sergei Bobrovsky gets the start in net.
On the Islanders side, the club shook up its defense pairings in the morning skate. Dwayne Roloson will start in goal.
Projected starting lineups (subject to change)
FLYERS
Nodl - Richards - Wellwood
Hartnell - Carter - Leino
Powe - Giroux - Zherdev
Shelley - Betts - Carcillo
Pronger - Carle
Coburn - Timonen
Meszaros - O'Donnell
Bobrovsky
[Boucher]
ISLANDERS
Moulson - Tavares - Parenteau
Bailey - Schremp - Comeau
Weight - Nielsen - Grabner
Martin - Konopka - Gillies
Eaton-Wisniewski
Mottau-Martinek
Hillen-Gervais
Roloson
[DiPietro]
Preview 10:30 AM
The Flyers (8-4-1) will put their five-game winning streak on the line tonight when they travel to Long Island to take an Islanders (4-7-2) team that Philly dismantled, 6-1, last Saturday night. Losers of six in a row, the Islanders return home tonight after playing seven of their last eight games on the road. The Islanders have lost 19 of their last 21 games against the Flyers, but have usually been more competitive in games than the lopsided contest that took place last week.
Tonight's game is also a grudge match of sorts. In their first meeting of the season, the clubs combined 120 penalty minutes (73 to the Islanders), including six misconducts. Most notably, the game saw Danny Briere draw a three-game suspension (the final game of which he serves tonight) for a cross-check to the face of the Islanders Frans Nielsen in the final minute of play.
Virtually every aspect of the game has been clicking for the Flyers of late. Most notably, after starting the season 3-for-35 (8.6%) on the power play, the club has been on a 9-for-28 (32.1%) tear over the course of its five-game winning streak. On the penalty kill, the Flyers rank 6th at 87.7%. They should get a good test tonight. Even with their struggles defensively and in goal, the Islanders have been good on the man advantage, ranking 5th in the NHL at 23.4% efficiency.
For much of the season, the biggest challenge for the Islanders has been trying to get through the first period unscathed. When they can do so, they are usually OK. The Islanders have been outscored in the first period by a 15-6 margin (the Flyers have outscored opponents 11-8). The Islanders are a more manageable minus-three in the second period (14 GA- 17 GA) and minus two (12 GF- 14 GA) in the third period. However, the second period was the big difference in last week's game, as the Flyers put up a four-spot, while Frans Nielsen's penalty shot goal was the lone Islanders tally.
Claude Giroux has been the Flyers' hottest offensive player of late, racking up nine points during the club's winning streak. However, virtually every player who carries offensive responsibilities, with the exception of James van Riemsdyk, has gotten into the act at various junctures throughout the streak. Watch out for Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter tonight, as both players have a history of tormenting the Islanders. Carter has feasted off the Islanders to the tune of 38 points (17 G, 21 A) in 34 career games, while Hartnell has racked up 11 goals (6 PPG) and 21 points in 27 games.
James Wisniewski (2 G, 9 A) leads the Islanders in scoring this season with 11 points while second-year forward John Taveres paces the squad with 6 goals (4 PPG). The club has missed the presence of Kyle Okposo (shoulder) and offensive defenseman Mark Streit (shoulder injury) in generating scoring chances off the rush at even strength but, as mentioned, has found ways so far to pick up the slack on the powerplay.
There has been a marked difference in the Islanders' play when Dwayne Roloson has been in goal rather than Rick DiPietro. Ordinarily, there is not a huge stat discrepancy between a team's goalies -- even if there is a clear-cut number one and backup -- because they are still playing behind the same team. But the difference between the performance of Roloson (6 GP, 2-4-0 record, 2.51 GAA, .913 SV%) and DiPietro (7 GP, 2-3-2, 4.21 GAA, .854 SV%) has been staggering.
I will post projected starting lineups later today.
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The woeful Phantoms (2-9-1) took another one on the chin last night, losing 5-2 on the road to the division leading Portland Pirates (10-3-0). The Phantoms have now lost their last eight games in a row (0-7-1).
It's pretty hard to find bright spots on the Phantoms right now, but the play of defenseman Erik Gustafsson has been a definite positive. He assisted on both Phantoms goals last night to take over the team scoring lead with 8 points (1 G, 7 A). David Laliberte (PPG) and recently signed veteran Denis Hamel had the two Phantoms goals.
The Phantoms outshot the Pirates, 30-19, last night. Johan Backlund stopped just 14 of 19 shots in taking the loss.
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The New York Rangers' Brandon Dubinsky may not be a popular player among Flyers' fans, but he's someone any club in the league would love to have on their side. If he were a Flyer, I'd venture to say, he'd be one the team's most popular players among the fan base. Today's
Daily Drop at Versus.com looks at Dubinsky's breakout year so far this season -- he's already hit double digit goals.
The potential was always there for him to be an effective NHL scorer, but now he's getting the opportunity to play on the top line and his confidence is sky high.
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I am pleased to announce that my Flyers blog at HockeyBuzz will once again be sponsored by the good folks at
Philly Phaithful. Company founder Dan Hershberg is a lifelong Flyers and Philadelphia sports nut, and a longtime HockeyBuzz reader and supporter. He's also a good guy who is fun to talk hockey with.
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Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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