PREVIEW: FLYERS VS. HURRICANES
Returning from the National Hockey League's All-Star break, Dave Hakstol's Philadelphia Flyers (25-19-6) are in Raleigh on Tuesday night to take on Bill Peters' Carolina Hurricanes (21-20-7). Game time at PNC Arena is 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on CSN Philadelphia.
This is the third of five meetings between the Metro Division teams this season, and the second and final game in Raleigh. On Oct. 22 at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers doubled up the Canes by a 6-3 score. Eight nights later in Raleigh, a third-period shorthanded goal by Brandon Manning was the difference in a 4-3 regulation win for Philadelphia.
Flyers Outlook
If the NHL regular season ended today, the Flyers would make the playoffs as the Eastern Conference's lower wildcard seed. Philly took a three-game winning streak into the All-Star break and has 20 notches in the ROW (regulation and overtime win) tiebreaking column.
The Boston Bruins, 4-3 winners over the Pittsburgh Penguins last Thursday, jumped from beneath the playoff cutoff to third place (an automatic playoff spot) in the Atlantic Division. Toronto dropped below the playoff cutoff. The Flyers hold two games in hand on Boston (52 games to 50) but the Leafs hold three games in hand on the Flyers and five on the Bruins.
In their final game before the break, the host Flyers edged out Toronto, 2-1, in regulation. Wayne Simmonds and Roman Lyubimov tallied for the Flyers, while Michal Neuvirth stopped 27 of 28 shots to earn the win one night after Steve Mason blanked the New York Rangers on 34 shots in the Flyers' 2-0 win at Madison Square Garden.
Simmonds, who has scored goals in three straight games and earned MVP honors at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Sunday, was named NHL Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. He will rejoin his Flyers' teammates in Raleigh.
Exiting the All-Star break, Jakub Voracek leads the Flyers in scoring with 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games. He is followed by team captain Claude Giroux (11 goals, 29 assists, 40 points). Simmonds paces the team with 21 goals (10 on the power play) among his 38 points. Brayden Schenn leads the club with 11 power play markers among his 15 overall goals and 33 points.
Rookie forward Travis Konecny has notched seven goals and 22 points to date. A fellow rookie, defenseman Ivan Provorov, leads the team in ice time and has contributed 22 points (four goals, 18 assists) to date. Second-year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has posted 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) and a minus-17 rating in 47 games. Veteran defenseman Mark Streit's five goals among his 19 points in 37 games leads the blueline corps in goal-scoring.
Mason has made 36 starts among his 40 outings this season. He brings a 16-15-6 record, 2.84 GAA, .902 save percentage and one shutout into Tuesday's tilt. Neuvirth has started 12 games among 15 appearances, posting a 12-7-4 record, 3.17 GAA, and .885 save percentage.
Veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto skated with the team at practice on Monday. The player, who dealt with a lower-body injury leading into the All-Star break, said he was feeling better. He was paired with eighth defenseman Nick Schultz in practice reps.
Hurricanes Outlook
Carolina exits the All-Star break seven points behind the Flyers in the wildcard chase but with two games in hand. The club has been good on home ice (15-6-1) but a dismal 6-14-6 road record has sunk the team in the standings.
The All-Star Break came at a much-needed time for the team, as the Canes are winless in five games.Carolina was shut out, 3-0, by the LA Kings in the final game before the break.
Jeff Skinner leads the team in scoring with 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 47 games played. He is followed by Victor Rask (13 goals, 19 assists), Sebastian Aho (12 goals, 14 assists), Jordan Staal (10 goals, 14 assists) Teuvo Terà¤và¤inen (10 goals, 14 assists). and Lee Stempniak (nine goals, 14 assists).
Justin Faulk paces the Carolina defense offensively, while logging 22:53 of ice time. Faulk has posted 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) to date.
In goal, veteran Cam Ward has started 41 games. He brings an 18-16-6 record, 2.61 GAA, .906 save percentage and two shutouts into Tuesday's game. Backup Eddie Là¤ck has dealt with injury issues and has only appeared in five games (four starts) to date.
Key team stat comparisons (NHL overall ranking)
Non-shootout goals per game: Flyers 2.70 (T-14th),Hurricanes 2.58 (19th) Non-shootout goals against per game: Flyers 3.02 (25th), Hurricanes 2.83 (20th) Power play efficiency: Flyers 21.5% (T-9th), Hurricanes 16.3% (23rd) Penalty killing efficiency: Flyers 81.0% (17th), Hurricanes 88.1% (1st) Shots on goal per game: Flyers 31.8 (4th), Hurricanes 30.3 (10th) Shots against per game: Flyers 29.1 (10th), Hurricanes 27.8 (5th) Faceoff percentage: Flyers 51.6% (7th), Hurricanes 51.4% (8th)
Projected lineups (subject to change)
FLYERS
12 Michael Raffl - 28 Claude Giroux - 93 Jakub Voracek 11 Travis Konecny - 10-Brayden Schenn - 17 Wayne Simmonds 25 Nick Cousins - 14 Sean Couturier - 24 Matt Read 76 Chris VandeVelde - 78 P-E Bellemare - 13 Roman Lyubimov
9 Ivan Provorov - 47 Andrew MacDonald 32 Mark Streit - 3 Radko Gudas 23 Brandon Manning - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
35 Steve Mason [30 Michal Neuvirth]
Scratches: Nick Schultz (healthy), Michael Del Zotto (healthy), Dale Weise (healthy).
HURRICANES
53 Jeff Skinner - 33 Derek Ryan - 21 - Lee Stempniak 23 Brock McGinn - 49 Victor Rask - 86 Teuvo Terà¤và¤inen 16 Elias Lindholm - 11 Jordan Staal - 20 Sebastian Aho 42 - Joakim Nordström - 18 Jay McClement - 8 Ty Rattie
74 Jaccob Slavin - 22 Brett Pesce 65 Ron Hainsey - 27 Justin Faulk 5 Noah Hanifin - 26 Matt Tennyson 30 Cam Ward [31 Eddie Là¤ck]
Scratches: Klas Dahlbeck (healthy), Ryan Murphy (healthy), Viktor Stà¥lberg (healthy), Bryan Bickell (IR, multiple sclerosis).
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QUICK HITS: JANUARY 31
1) Lehigh Valley Phantoms left winger Taylor Leier, who dressed in 10 games for the Flyers earlier this season, won the Most Valuable Player award at the 2017 American Hockey League All-Star Game in Allentown on Monday night. Leier tallied three goals over the series of 3-on-3 mini-games between each of the AHL divisions. In the final round, the Central Division team claimed a 1-0 win via shootout over Leier's Atlantic Division team.
For the AHL season to date, speedy two-way winger Leier has posted 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists), 12 penalty minutes and a plus-eight rating for the Phantoms. He is one of Phantoms' coach Scott Gordon's must trusted all-situations players.
Two of Leier's teammates, forward Jordan Weal and defenseman T.J. Brennan both participated in the All-Star Game as well for Team Atlantic. All three Phantoms scored a goal in a 6-1 romp over Team Pacific.
2) Flyers left wing prospect Oskar Lindblom and goalie prospect Felix Sandström's Brynà¤s IF Gà¤vle team is back in action on Tuesday, hosting SkellefteॠAIK. Game time is 1 p.m. ET.
3) In the annual Top Prospects Game, Team Cherry defeated Team Orr by a 7-5 count. Finnish defenseman Henri Jokiharju of the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks won Player of the Game honors with a three-assist performance.