PREVIEW 11 PM (1/6/12)
Looking to move back within four points of the Atlantic Division lead, the Flyers (23-14-1) open a home-and-home set with an Ottawa Senators (21-15-5) club that has shown tremendous improvement in the time since Philly blew them out early in the season. The matinee game starts at 1 PM EST and will be broadcast locally on CSN Philly.
This is the second of four meetings between the teams. On Oct. 18, the Flyers traveled to Ottawa and humiliated the Senators, 7-2. Matt Read (1G, 3A) had the best night of his young career and 15 different Flyers -- including every forward except Danny Briere -- registered at last one point. Sean Couturier and Harry Zolnierczyk each scored the first goals of their NHL careers, and Philly also got goals from Claude Giroux, Max Talbot and James van Riemsdyk.
Philly enters this game coming off a fast-paced 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flyers rallied back from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to grab a seemingly commanding 4-2 lead but quick back-to-back goals by Chicago tied the game until a last minute goal by JVR rescued the two points for Philadelphia. Overall, the Flyers are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games.
Ottawa has recovered from its awful start to the season to work itself in possible playoff contention as the season nears the midway point. The club has won 7 of its last 10 games but is about to enter a challenging segment of the season that will see the Senators play nine of its next 11 games on the road. The Sens' season numbers in GAA (3.27), power play percentage (17.5 percent) and penalty killing (79.9 percent) may not look very good but are still a bit skewed by October. Ottawa has been potent offensively at five-on-five.
Flyers coach Peter Laviolette acknowledged at practice that he is aware of the potential for a letdown now that the Winter Classic and its marquee bookend games against the Penguins and Blackhawks are done. He reminded his club today that the Senators have played quite well lately and have their fair share of talent on the roster (perhaps not worthy of four All-Star Game starters, but nevertheless some very good players).
On the injury front, Kimmo Timonen (left wrist injury) has NOT totally been ruled out for this weekend but it still seems more likely than not that he misses a little bit of time. He did not participate in Friday's practice. Jaromir Jagr (groin) did practice with the team, although he did not take reps with his linemates. He said after practice that there's a chance he plays on Sunday in Ottawa but would not play in this game.
The Flyers placed Matt Walker on waivers on Friday. Erik Gustafsson, who played in the AHL's Outdoor Classic at Citizens Bank Park, reported after the game that he has not heard from the Flyers about a callup but is "feeling like myself again" after rehabbing following wrist surgery. Gustafsson still played with his wrist taped, but not heavily so.
As usual, there is no official word on the Flyers' starting goaltender a day in advance of the game. However, it appears more likely that Ilya Bryzgalov will get the start in the first game of the home-and-home.
For the Sens, defensive defenseman Chris Phillips is scheduled to return to the lineup from a concussion. Forwards Peter Regin (shoulder) and Jesse Winchester (concussion) are out.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
Hartnell - Giroux - Read
Talbot - Briere - Voracek
JVR - Schenn - Simmonds
Zolnierczyk - Couturier - Rinaldo
Coburn - ???
Carle - Bourdon
Lilja - Meszaros
Bryzgalov/Bobrovsky
SENATORS
Greening - Spezza - Michalek
Condra - Turris - Alfredsson
Foligno - Smith - Butler
Daugavins - Konopka - Neil
Phillips - Karlsson
Gonchar - Cowen
Kuba - Carkner
Anderson
[Auld]
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