PREVIEW 8:00 AM EST
The respite from the schedule is over now, and the Flyers (8-4-3) are about to get very busy again, starting with tonight's road game against the Florida Panthers (8-4-3). The game starts at 5 PM EST and will be broadcast locally on TCN Philly.
This is the first of four meetings between the teams this season. Florida's roster was overhauled in July, and the club is much improved. Typically, the Panthers have given the Flyers a lot of trouble, anyway, regardless of their record at the time of the game. However, Philadelphia downed Florida in three of four games last season; learning a lesson after a humiliating 5-0 shutout loss on home ice right before a lengthy December schedule break.
Kevin Dineen's Panthers enter tonight's game coming off impressive wins on the road in Toronto and Winnipeg. Ex-Flyer Kris Versteeg built on his team scoring lead, registering a hat trick in the Jets game. The Panthers have been especially effective on the power play so far this season, clicking at a robust 24.1 percent success rate.
The Flyers last played on Wednesday, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision in Tampa. The team took off Thursday and Friday for off-ice team bonding activities in the Sunshine State. Philly returned to practice yesterday.
After tonight's game, the Flyers turn around and play in Carolina tomorrow night. The club then briefly returns home for a Thursday game against Ilya Bryzgalov's former Phoenix Coyotes team and then makes the long trek to Winnipeg for a road game on Saturday against the Jets. Forty-eight hours later, the team will be back in Philly again for yet another game against the Hurricanes (the third of four games in the season series).
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
Hartnell - Giroux - Jagr
JVR - Briere - Simmonds
Voracek - Talbot - Read
Zolnierczyk - Couturier - Rinaldo
Carle - Pronger
Coburn - Timonen
Lilja - Meszaros
Bryzgalov
[Bobrovsky]
PANTHERS
Fleischmann - Weiss - Versteeg
Skille - Santorelli - Kopecky
Sturm - Goc - Bergenheim
Dadonov - Matthias - Bradley
Ellerby - Jovanovski
Campbell - Garrison
Weaver - Kulikov
Theodore
[Clemmensen]
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