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Flyers Gameday: 3/15/12 @ Islanders

March 15, 2012, 8:40 AM ET [570 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
PREVIEW 8:00 AM EDT

Coming off one of their most complete two-way efforts of the season in a 3-0 win over New Jersey, the Philadelphia Flyers (40-22-7) begin a slate of three games in a span of less than 85 hours. Tonight, they head to Uniondale, NY to take on the New York Isanders (28-31-11). The game starts at 7:00 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast locally on CSN Philly.

This is the sixth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Flyers have won three of the first five meetings,two in regulation and one in overtime. Jack Capuano's team has won once in regulation and once via shootout after a 0-0 deadlock through the end of regulation and overtime.

The Flyers have received some of their best goaltending of the season in the season series against the Islanders. Both Ilya Bryzgalov (minus his abbreviated first start of the season on Long Island) and Sergei Bobrovsky have played well versus the Isles, while New York has gotten two brilliant starts and two pedestrian ones from Evgeni Nabokov after a subpar performance from Rick DiPietro in the first game.

Bryzgalov, of course, has been scorching hot of late, with three straight shutouts and four in his last five starts. In order for him to break John Vanbiesbrouck's team record for consecutive shutout minutes (227:40), Bryzgalov and the team would need to hold the Islanders off the scoreboard tonight until at least the 11:28 mark of the second period.

More important than the shutout streak is the importance of the Flyers continuing to play the sort of team defense they displayed in Tuesday's game. It will be also be worth tracking whether Danny Briere and Jakub Voracek can continue to build on the chemistry they showed in the third period of the last game. The Flyers need to get more consistent production from Briere's line for nights (such as in two of the last three games) when Claude Giroux's line is held off the scoresheet.

The Flyers conducted a light practice yesterday, mostly limited to breakaways. Bryzgalov had the day off and defenseman Nicklas Grossmann took a maintenance day, but will both be in the lineup tonight. Injured defenseman Pavel Kubina (upper body injury) skated on his own before practice, while Andrej Meszaros (groin) has yet to resume skating.

New York has won just 3 of its last 10 games (3-4-3). On Tuesday, the Islanders suffered their league-worst ninth loss of the season (once against the Flyers) as the consequence of a blown third period lead. The Isles built a 4-2 lead over the Capitals but were unable to protect it. They skated off with one point after losing via shootout.

Matt Read has enjoyed a very productive season series against the Islanders. The rookie leads the Flyers with three goals and a pair of helpers in the five games, while Scott Hartnell has also tallied three goals. For New York, most of the damage has been done by Kyle Okposo (four goals, two assists) and Josh Bailey (three goals). The Flyers have held John Tavares and Matt Moulson to one goal apiece, while Giroux has not scored against the Islanders this season and Jaromir Jagr has tallied once.

Jagr has tortured the Islanders for most of his NHL career, tallying more points against them than any other opponent in the league. In 96 career regular season contests, Jagr has racked up 144 points (60 goals, 84 assists).

On the New York injury front, forward PA Parenteau (upper body injury) missed Tuesday's game against the Capitals. He is questionable for tonight. The Flyers remain without injured forward James van Riemsdyk (IR, broken foot).

PROJECTED LINEUPS (subject to change)

FLYERS

Hartnell - Giroux - Jagr
Wellwood - Briere - Voracek
Read - Schenn - Simmonds
Talbot - Couturier - Rinaldo

Carle - Timonen
Grossmann - Coburn
Lilja - Gustafsson

Bryzgalov
[Bobrovsky]


ISLANDERS

Moulson - Tavares - Okposo
Bailey - Nielsen - Grabner
Ullstrom - Cizikas - Niederreiter
Pandolfo - Reasoner - Martin

Streit - Staios
MacDonald - Hamonic
Eaton - Jurcina

Nabokov
[Montoya]

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