Game 65 Preview: Flyers @ Avalanche

n the third game of a five-game road trip, interim head coach Mike Yeo's Philadelphia Flyers (21-32-11) are in Denver on Friday to take on Jared Bednar's Colorado Avalanche (45-14-5). Game time at Bell Arena is 9:00 p.m. EDT (NBCSP, 93.3 WMMR).

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the teams and the lone game in Denver. Back on Dec. 6 --- the first game of Yeo's coaching tenure -- the Avalanche prevailed in a high-scoring game, 7-5, at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers enter this game coming off a 5-2 road victory against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday evening. Two goals by Travis Konency, a goal and an assist by Hayden Hodgson in his NHL debut and tallies by Patrick Brown and Joel Farabee (empty net) led the way offensively. Martin Jones made 26 saves to earn the win in goal.

Carter Hart will be back in goal on Friday night. Oskar Lindblom, who is "banged up" according to Yeo, was held out of Thursday's game. The Flyers once again had to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Yeo also noted on Thursday that Scott Laughton (concussion) did not get great results on his neurological follow-up testing this week and will shut down for the time being. The Flyers are awaiting medical clearance for checking center Nate Thompson (shoulder surgery).

The Avalanche, who are a stellar 25-4-3 on home ice this season, sustained a rare loss on Bell Center ice on Wednesday as they were upset, 3-1, by the Vancouver Canucks. The game was scoreless for 41-plus minutes before goals by Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller built a 2-0 lead for the visiting team. A power play goal by Nazem Kadri (24th) got the Avalanche back to within 2-1 with 13:45 remaining in regulation. However, the Avs could not find an equalizing goal and a Bo Horvat empty netter in the game's final 18 seconds sealed the outcome.

For an in-depth preview of Friday's matchups, team statistical trends and the added dual challenge of the Denver altitude and a potential fatigue factor disadvantage, see Friday's Five Things on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

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