GAME 11: FLYERS vs. BRUINS
Alain Vigneault's Philadelphia Flyers (7-2-1) host Brice Cassidy's Boston Bruins (6-1-2) at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night. Game time is 8:00 p.m. ET. The game will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network.
Wednesday's game is the first of a back-to-back set with the Bruins, which will continue on Friday, and the third game of the eight-game season series between the teams.
On Jan. 21 at TD Garden, the Flyers took a 2-0 lead into the third period and wound up with a 5-4 shootout loss. Two night later, the Bruins dominated the Flyers in every facet on the way to a 6-1 blowout.
Flyers Outlook
The Flyers have won four straight games, sweeping their road b2b with the New Jersey Devils and then taking a pair of overtime wins against the Islanders. The Flyers are pleased with having 15 points through 10 games but realize
there are plenty of areas that need improvement for their winning ways to be sustained.
On Sunday, one night after the Flyers played a solid first period against the Islanders only to get dominated in the second and third periods while failing to protect a 2-0 lead before rescuing a victory in overtime, the Flyers played one of their better all-around games of the season. Better, yes, but still marred by some costly breakdowns and the inability to protect a 3-1 lead they took into the third period. This forced another OT but it, too, ended well for the Flyers as they prevailed, 4-3.
Joel Farabee notched the first hat trick of his career in Sunday's game, while NHL Eastern Division Player of the Month James van Riemsdyk racked up four assists. Kevin Hayes scored the winning goal in overtime on a 4-on-3 power play.
According to general manager Chuck Fletcher, Selke Trophy center Sean Couturier (ribs) is still about seven to 10 days from being ready to play. Rookie center Morgan Frost (dislocated left shoulder) is on injured reserve and needs to undergo surgery that will likely end his 2020-21 season.
Bruins Outlook
Since their shootout and regulation wins at home against the Flyers, the Bruins have gone 3-0-1. They started with 3-2 (overtime) and 4-1 wins at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins before dropping a 4-3 OT decision to the host Washington Capitals on Saturday. On Monday night, the Bruins staged a third period comeback from a 3-1 deficit to earn a 5-3 win.
David Pastrnak, in the second game since his return from injury, scored his first two goals of the season. Craig Smith, Brandon Carlo (go-ahead goal with 2:37 left) and Brad Marchand also tallied for Boston.
The Bruins practiced at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday while the Flyers skated at their Voorhees training complex. Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Kevan Miller all took maintenance days but are expected to play against the Flyers.
Jake DeBrusk is on injured reserve with a lower body injury and is not on the trip with the team. Also unavailable due to injury: Matt Grzelcyk, Ondrej Kase and Jack Studnicka. Third-line center Charlie Coyle has been playing through an upper-body injury but has not missed any games.
Jaroslav Halak earned the win on Monday. Tuukka Rask could get the start in goal for Wednesday's game.
Projected lineups
FLYERS
28 Claude Giroux - 19 Nolan Patrick - 93 Jakub Voracek
23 Oskar Lindblom - 13 Kevin Hayes - 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk - 21 Scott Laughton - 86 Joel Farabee
12 Michael Raffl - 82 Connor Bunnaman - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
9 Ivan Provorov - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
6 Travis Sanheim - 5 Phil Myers
56 Erik Gustafsson - 61 Justin Braun
79 Carter Hart
[37 Brian Elliott]
PP1: Giroux, Hayes, Voracek, JVR, Provorov
PP2: Lindblom, Patrick, Konecny, Gustafsson, Gostisbehere
Scratches: 14 Sean Couturier (IR. costochondral separation), 3 Mark Friedman (healthy), 8 Robert Hägg (healthy), 48 Morgan Frost (IR, dislocated shoulder).
BRUINS
63 Brad Marchand - 37 Patrice Bergeron - 88 David Pastrnak
21 Nick Ritchie - 46 David Krejci - 12 Craig Smith
11 Trent Frederic - 13 Charlie Coyle - 14 Chris Wagner
81 Anton Blidh - 52 Sean Kuraly - 10 Anders Bjork
79 Jeremy Lauzon - 73 Charlie McAvoy
75 Connor Clifton - 25 Brandon Carlo
67 Jakub Zboril - 86 Kevan Miller
40 Tuukka Rask
[41 Jaroslav Halak]
PP1: Ritchie, Bergeron, Pastrnak, Marchand, McAvoy
PP2: Coyle, Smith, Frederic, Krejci, Zboril
Scratches: 83 Karson Kuhlman (healthy), 26 Pär Lindholm (healthy), 27 John Moore (healthy), 28 Ondrej Kase (IR, suspected concussion), 74 Jake DeBrusk (IR, lower body), 23 Jack Studnicka (IR, undisclosed), 48 Matt Grzelcyk (lower body).
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