Game 18 Preview: Flyers vs. Panthers
Dave Hakstol's Philadelphia Flyers (9-7-1) are at home on Tuesday evening to take on Bob Boughner's Florida Panthers (6-5-3). Game time at the Wells Fargo Center is 7:00 p.m. ET.
The game will be televised on NBCSNP. The radio broadcast can be found on 97.5 FM The Fanatic with an online simulcast at
FlyersRadio247.com.
This is the second of three meetings this season between the teams, and the second and final game in Philadelphia. The rubber match will take place in Sunrise, Fla., on Dec. 29. On Oct. 16 at the Wells Fargo Center, a five-goal second period and two shootout goals in three rounds proved to be just enough for the Flyers to salvage a 6-5 win. The win came despite getting off to a poor first-period start and later squandering a 5-2 lead.
Flyers Outlook
The Flyers are 5-0-1 over their last six games, including a 2-0-0 mark on the current five-game homestand. After scoring the game's first goal just once over the first 11 games (4-7-0), the Flyers have scored first in each of the last six games and have not trailed at any point in regulation in five of the games. During first periods, Philly has outscored opponents by a 9-2 mark in the last six games.
On Saturday afternoon, the Flyers skated to a 4-0 win over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks. The foundation of the Flyers' victory started in goal. Brian Elliott was outstanding, looking razor sharp in stopping all 33 shots fired on his net. Sean Couturier (two goals, one assist) and Claude Giroux (one goal, two assists) each enjoyed three-point afternoons. Nolan Patrick (empty-net goal) rounded out the goal scoring. Ivan Provorov chipped in his 5th assist of the season.
Giroux was named the NHL's 3rd Star of the Week for last week's games. On Saturday afternoon, Giroux caught and passed Rick MacLeish for 4th on the Flyers' all-time points list. Giroux's next point will be the 700th of his career. Additionally, with 478 assists, Giroux is two away from catching Brian Propp for second on the Flyers' all-time list.
Through 17 games, the Flyers have averaged 3.29 goals scored per game (9th in the NHL) with a team 3.53 goals against average (28th). The power play has struggled after a 5-for-20 start and is now at 13.8 percent (28th) with four shorthanded goals allowed (T-30th). The top unit generated heavy pressure in the Chicago game but was unable to put a puck in the net. The penalty kill is at 70.5 pct (30th). The Flyers have yet to score a shorthanded goal, but Couturier scored a goal right after a Philly penalty expired in the second period of Saturday's game.
Left wing James van Riemsdyk, who suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of the season's second regular season game, was a full participant in
Monday's practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. He could return to the lineup by the end of the week.
Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas took a maintenance day on Monday. He is expected to be in the lineup against the Panthers on Tuesday night.
Panthers Outlook
Tuesday's game is the start of a five-game road trip for the Panthers. After a rough start in October, the team has played well of late. After splitting their NHL Global Series games with the Winnipeg Jets in Helsinki, the Panthers swept their three-game homestand. Overall, the Panthers have won four games in a row and are 5-2-0 over their last seven.
On Sunday, a five-goal outburst by the Panthers in the second period, including Aleksander Barkov's 4th and 5th goals of the season, spurred Florida to a 5-1 home win over the Ottawa Senators.
To date, the dynamic Barkov has posted 13 points in 14 games. Evgenii Dadonov (seven goals, 16 points) leads the team in scoring. He is followed by veteran offensive defenseman Keith Yandle (two goals, 15 points), Mike Hoffman (seven goals, 14 points), Jonathan Huberdeau (four goals, 14 points), Barkov, and Vincent Trocheck (three goals, 12 points).
Entering Tuesday's game, the Panthers have averaged 3.29 goals per game (tied for 11th in the NHL) and have a team 3.07 goals against average (18th). The power play checks in at 13-for-62 (21.0 percent, ranked 13th) with two shorthanded goals allowed. The penalty kill comes in at 37-for-50 (74.0 percent, 26th). Florida has yet to score a shorthanded goal.
On the injury front, the ageless Roberto Luongo was unable when the Panthers made their previous trip to Philadelphia. He's since returned to the lineup and has played well. In the meantime, defenseman Mark Pysyk is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Role-playing forward Derek McKenzie (upper body) in on injured reserve.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (Subject to change)
FLYERS
28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 11 Travis Konecny
23 Oskar Lindblom - 19 Nolan Patrick - 93 Jakub Voracek
22 Dale Weise - 40 Jordan Weal - 17 Wayne Simmonds
21 Scott Laughton - 15 Jori Lehterä - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
9 Ivan Provorov - 8 Robert Hägg
53 Shayne Gostisbehere - 26 Christian Folin
6 Travis Sanheim - 3 Radko Gudas
37 Brian Elliott
[33 Cal Pickard]
Scratches: 47 Andrew MacDonald (healthy), 30 Michal Neuvirth (IR, lower body), 12 Michael Raffl (IR, lower body), 10 Corban Knight (IR, collarbone), 25 James van Riemsdyk (IR, lower body), 5 Sam Morin (ACL surgery).
PANTHERS
63 Evgeny Dadonov - 16 Aleksander Barkov - 68 Mike Hoffman
11 Jonathan Huberdeau - 21 Vincent Trocheck - 72 Frank Vatrano
62 Denis Malgin - 90 Jared McCann - 27 Nick Bjugstad
22 Troy Brouwer - 91 Juho Lammikko - 7 Colton Sceviour
19 Michael Matheson - 5 Aaron Ekblad
3 Keith Yandle - 6 Alex Petrovic
55 Bogdan Kiselevich - 52 MacKenzie Weegar
1 Roberto Luongo
[34 James Reimer]
Scratches: 13 Mark Pysyk (day-to-day, upper body), 78 Maxim Mamin (healthy), 17 Derek McKenzie (IR, upper body).
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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