PREVIEW 7:00 AM EST
Coming off one of their best all-around efforts of the last month, the Flyers (30-14-6) will look to build from Thursday night's 4-1 win over Nashville when they host the New Jersey Devils (28-19-3) today at the Wells Fargo Center. The matinee game starts at 1 PM and will be broadcast locally on CSN Philly.
This is the fourth of six meetings between the Atlantic Division foes this season, and the second of three in Philadelphia. The road team has won all three games to date. New Jersey's 4-3 victory at the WFC on Nov. 3 came via shootout.
Most recently, the Flyers grabbed a costly 4-1 win in Newark on the weekend before the All-Star break. Scott Hartnell scored two goals to lead the Flyers, but Philly lost Danny Briere to a concussion and Jaromir Jagr had to leave the game early due to his fourth groin pull of the season.
Rookies have been a big part of Philly's recent run of points in eight of the last 10 games (6-2-2). Matt Read's crucial goal in the Nashville game marked the 13th game out of the last 15 (and 10th in the last 11) in which a rookie has tallied. Just as important, Philly has gotten very good goaltending of late, and Ilya Bryzgalov has been excellent in the two games since the All-Star break. With back-to-back games this weekend, there's a good chance that Sergei Bobrovsky plays today and Bryz gets the New York Rangers tomorrow.
Wayne Simmonds enters this game coming off the best game of his NHL career, which included two goals and 10 shots on goal. Brayden Schenn has also played very well of late. Meanwhile, the Flyers hope that Claude Giroux, who punctuated the win on Thursday with an empty-net goal (courtesy of an unselfish pass from Jaromir Jagr), gets back on the goal-scoring track again in addition to setting up chances for teammates.
Briere remains out for the weekend but is making progress in his concussion recovery. He won't play this weekend but may be cleared to play next week. James van Riemdsyk (concussion) remains out indefinitely.
New Jersey has gone 6-3-1 in its last 10 games, including wins in its last two games. However, they are a banged up squad. Defenseman Adam Larsson (back) and centers Ryan Carter (hand) and Adam Henrique (groin) are all out for today's game, along with defenseman Henrik Tallinder (blood clot in left leg) and center Travis Zajac (Achilles tendon tear). Johan Hedberg will start in goal today.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)
FLYERS
Hartnell - Giroux - Jagr
Rinaldo - Schenn - Simmonds
Talbot - Couturier - Voracek
Sestito - Read - Zolnierczyk/Shelley
Timonen - Coburn
Carle - Bourdon
Lilja - Meszaros
Bobrovsky/Bryzgalov
DEVILS
Parise - Elias - Kovalchuk
Sykora - Zubrus - Clarkson
Ponikarovsky - Josefson - Bernier
Boulton - Mills - Janssen
Volchenkov - Toarmina
Greene - Fayne
Salvador - Foster
Hedberg
[Brodeur]
***********
Please visit our sponsor
HockeyTickets.ca.
Use coupon code "FlyersBuzz" between now and the end of the regular season to receive a 10% discount on all ticket orders over $150 and also have a chance to win two free lower-level seats to a Flyers regular season game of your choice at the Wells Fargo Center.
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Flyers Buzz. For more information click here.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
Join the Discussion:
»