Game 77 Preview: Flyers @ Maple Leafs
In the first game of a two-game road trip to Canada, interim head coach Mike Yeo's Philadelphia Flyers (23-42-11) are in Ontario to take on Sheldon Keefe's Toronto Maple Leafs (50-20-6). Game time at Scotiabank Arena is 7:00 p.m. EDT (NBCSP, 97.5 The Fanatic).
This is the third and final meeting of the season between the teams and the lone game in Toronto. The Flyers were shut out, 3-0, at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 10 and lost again, 6-3, on April 2.
The Flyers have lost five straight games, all in regulation. The team is coming off getting swept in a weekend home-and-home set with the Buffalo Sabres, 4-3 on Saturday in Buffalo and 5-3 the next night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Maple Leafs, who are 8-1-1 over their last 10 games, have won three in a row. They are coming off a 5-4 overtime road win in Ottawa on Saturday and a 4-2 home win against the New York Islanders on Sunday.
Auston Matthews missed the team's last game with an undisclosed issue. Neither team practiced on Monday. Matthews took part in an optional morning skate on Tuesday. Lineups will be posted on this blog prior to game time.
For an in-depth look at Tuesday's matchups, statistical trends and players to watch, see the Five Things preview on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.
FLYERS
49 Noah Cates - 13 Kevin Hayes - 11 Travis Konecny 25 James van Riemsdyk - 21 Scott Laughton - 46 Bobby Brink 86 Joel Farabee - 48 Morgan Frost - 74 Owen Tippett 23 Oskar Lindblom - 44 Nate Thompson - 17 Zack MacEwen
9 Ivan Provorov - 6 Travis Sanheim 54 Egor Zamula - 8 Kevin Connauton 3 Keith Yandle - 47 Ronnie Attard
35 Martin Jones [32 Felix Sandström]
MAPLE LEAFS
65 Ilya Mikheyev - 91 John Tavares - 16 Mitch Marner 88 William Nylander - 15 Alexander Kerfoot - 47 Pierre Engvall 58 Michael Bunting - 64 David Kampf - 11 Colin Blackwell 26 Nick Abruzzese - 19 Jason Spezza - 24 Wayne Simmonds
44 Morgan Rielly - 37 Timothy Liljegren 78 T.J. Brodie - 3 Justin Holl 55 Mark Giordano - 46 Ilya Lyubushkin
36 Jack Campbell [50 Erik Kà¤llgren]
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Phantoms Playoff Math
A special thank you goes out to Phantoms broadcaster Bob Rotruck for calculating the playoff odds for Lehigh Valley over their remaining six games.
If the Phantoms go 4-1-1 over the final six games, they would make the playoffs via tiebreakers if two of these four things occur: the Hartford Wolf Pack go no better than 2-1-0 in their final three games, Bridgeport goes no better than 0-1-1 in their final two, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goes no better than 1-5-0, Hershey loses all four of its remaining games in regulation.
Clearly, the Phantoms best chance is to take care of their own business and hope for some help from Hartford and Bridgeport's opponents. Oddly enough, even if the Phantoms go 6-0-0 they will still need for Bridgeport to lose at least one of their two remaining games.
Additionally, because the first tiebreaker is points percentage via regulation wins, the 4-1-1 scenarios for Lehigh Valley assume at least one regulation win in the mix.
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Quick Hits: April 19, 2022
1) Anthony San Filippo, on Crossing Broad, reported yesterday that longtime Flyers trainers Jim McCrossin and Sal Raffa has sued the Flyers' organization, all related corporate entities and the Flyers Training Center facility after the two sides were unable to come to a resolution regarding whether their respective diagnoses with incurable and uncommon forms of cancer and/or blood disorders were job-related from long-term exposure due to the chemicals used in gas-powered (rather than electric) Zambonis at the facility, the ventilation system at the facility and the proximity of the trainers' offices between the locker room on the Flyers' rink at the room in between the Flyers and Phantoms rinks and the room where the Zamboni is idled and stored when not in use on one of the two rinks.
Beyond what has been reported on Crossing Broad, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Athletic -- including statements from McCrossin and Raffa's attorneys and a denial by the Flyers that the claim has any legal merit -- I cannot offer further comment. I do not have the medical, legal or scientific expertise to knowledgeably comment on any of these aspects.
All I can say is both Jim and Sal are first-class human beings. Both are also highly respected in their field not only across the NHL but nationally within the sports trainer/ medical service director field as a whole. McCrossin especially is beloved by Flyers Alumni and current players, coaches, broadcasters and media people alike, and Sal is also widely admired as a true pro and good guy.
Many of us in the media and around the team knew they were dealing with cancer and have kept on working for the team through it. Neither McCrossin nor Raffa is the type to call attention to himself or to seek publicity or sympathy. However, once something enters the realm of litigation, it becomes public record and fair game for a reporter such as Anthony to report. He reported everything in a factually correct manner here and had ever right to do so.
Again, I cannot speak to merits of the lawsuit itself, the medical aspects or potential similar cases elsewhere around hockey. I can say that I few awful that this come to a lawsuit and that the prognoses for Jim and Sal are heartbreaking.
2) The Flyers Alumni's Walk, Run, Stroll at Washington Crossing State Park is on Saturday at 10 a.m. EDT. There is still time to sign up for the event.
Would you like to participate in the Flyers Alumni's Walk, Run, Stroll fundraiser for the Flyers Warriors and the YMCA of Doylestown's Veterans Wellness Initiative but cannot attend the April 23 event at Washington Crossing Historic Park? As an alternative, you can do it virtually (on a day, time and place that's convenient to you). Do it in your neighborhood, a local park, on a treadmill at the gym or in your basement.
The sign-up process is the same, any which way. If you can't attend in person, just indicate that you are doing it virtually and your event t-shirt and finisher's medal will be sent to you.
Multiple Flyers Alumni who cannot attend in person are doing their walks virtually. Joe Watson, who is currently on a two-week trip through Italy, did one with friends last weekend at Ridley Creek State Park and is presently in Perugia, Italy, where he and wife Jamie have strolled the hilly streets. Bill Clement is doing his walk from near his home in North Carolina. Original Flyers forward Garry Peters is walking in Saskatchewan.
Alumni who will be attending the April 23 event in Washington Crossing are variously doing one of the three different courses and distances. There are 1k (family-outing geared stroll near the barracks, boat house and officer housing), 5k (run/walk) and 10k (run) options. Participating Alumni include Bob Clarke, Mark Howe, John LeClair, Paul Holmgren, Brad Marsh, Dave Brown, Dave Schultz, Bob Kelly, Jim Watson, Todd Fedoruk, Steve Coates, radio play-by-play broadcaster Tim Saunders and more.
The Alumni are also welcoming a special guest as part of their team at the event: Air Force veteran Robert Joe Kirchner will be participating virtually. He is a Neshaminy High School graduate, a former hockey player, coach and University of Western Ontario alum.
“Joey… is a 100% disabled veteran who is currently dealing with lymphoma. Nonetheless, he wanted to participate in the Walk, Run & Stroll to show his support for the Flyers Warriors and for the Doylestown YMCA's Veterans Wellness Initiative, which is offered free of charge to veterans and their families.
Recently, the Flyers Alumni donated $10,000 to the Doylestown YMCA for their fledgling Veterans Wellness program. Members of the Flyers Warriors were also on hand for the check presentation and to meet fellow veterans who took part in the first WVI sessions at the Doylestown Y this year. The Alumni and Flyers Warriors spoke about the upcoming Walk, Run and Stroll to help raise awareness of the event.
The Walk, Run, Stroll will feature child-friendly Revolutionary War era historical demonstrations by the Marbleheaders, and other family-geared activities. VIP package registrants will also have access to a post-event private afterparty with the attending Flyers Alumni and Flyers Warriors.
For more information about the Walk, Run, Stroll, click here.
If you, like @BillClement10, cannot come out to Washington Crossing Park on April 23 but want to virtually join in the Run, Walk, Stroll for @FlyersWarrior and @YMCADOYLES' Veterans Wellness Initiative, here's how:https://t.co/DfwlN6Yloh pic.twitter.com/y8EGlczLyl
— Flyers Alumni (@FlyersAlumni) April 15, 2022