Preview: Flyers @ Canadiens
Playing for the ninth time in 15 nights and the third time in four nights, Dave Hakstol's Philadelphia Flyers (6-5-1) are back in Quebec to take on Michel Therrrien's Montreal Canadiens (9-1-1) on Saturday night. Game time at the Bell Centre is 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on CSN Philadelphia.
This is the second of three meetings between the clubs this season, and the second of two in Montreal.
On Oct. 24, the visiting Flyers played the Canadiens fairly evenly for most of the night but came away empty as the Habs stepped up in crunch time to convert a latter third period power play before adding an empty-net goal to seal a 3-1 final. Jakub Voracek scored the lone Flyers' goal while Steve Mason stopped 31 of 33 shots. Shea Weber, Brendan Gallagher (power play) and Alexander Radulov (empty net) scored for the Canadiens. Carey Price turned back 31 of 32 Philadelphia shots.
Flyers Outlook
The Flyers have led or been tied within the third period of all 12 games they've played to date, yet have only played a single game this season (opening night in Los Angeles) in which they have not trailed at any point of the game.
The team's latest comeback victory was on Thursday night, as the Flyers prevailed in overtime, 3-2, against the host New York Islanders.
Travis Konecny and Matt Read (power play) scored in regulation for Philly. Read's goal in the final minute of the third period forced OT. Claude Giroux's round-two goal in the shootout proved to be the game-winner.
Starting for the third consecutive game, Michal Neuvirth turned back 25 of 27 shots in regulation and overtime and then stopped Cal Clutterbuck, Josh Bailey and John Taveres in the shootout. Neuvirth shook off a stoppable goal on the Islanders' go-ahead tally midway through the third period.
With the return of Michael Raffl to the Flyers' lineup, the Austrian left winger was reinstated onto the top line with Giroux and Wayne Simmonds at even strength t start the game in Brooklyn. Brayden Schenn switched from first-line left wing to centering a line with Chris VandeVelde and Nick Cousins. Dale Weise sat out as a healthy scratch for the first time this season.
Entering Saturday's game, the Flyers have six players with eight or more points on the season, led by Giroux's 13 tallies (two goals, 11 assists). Three players -- Jakub Voracek, Simmonds and Read -- have six goals through the 12 games to date.
Canadiens Outlook
Until Friday night, the Canadiens were the only NHL team that had yet to be defeated in regulation. That run came a resounding end on Friday as the Habs were pulverized by the Columbus Blue Jackets, 10-0.
With Montreal on the second game of a three-in-four and the front end of a back-to-back set, backup goaltender Al Montoya got the start and took one -- or more accurately, 10 -- for for the team on a night where Habs just didn't it. Trailing 3-0 by the end of the first period, the third period was a mere formality after the Blue Jackets added five more goals in the middle stanza. Montoya managed 30 saves and still got strafed for double-digit goals.
Over the previous 10 games, the Habs had allowed just 13 goals.
Projected Lineups (subject to change, will be updated)
FLYERS
12 Michael Raffl - 28 Claude Giroux - 17 Wayne Simmonds 11 Travis Konecny - 14 Sean Couturier - 92 Jakub Voracek 24 Matt Read - 78 P-E Bellemare - 13 Roman Lyubimov 76 Chris VandeVelde - 10 Brayden Schenn - 25 Nick Cousins
23 Brandon Manning - 3 Radko Gudas 9 Ivan Provorov - 32 Mark Streit 15 Michael Del Zotto - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
30 Michal Neuvirth / 35 Steve Mason
Scratches:Scott Laughton (conditioning assignment), Andrew MacDonald (lower body), Boyd Gordon (LTIR, upper body), Nick Schultz (healthy).
Canadiens
47 Alexander Radulov - 27 Alex Galchenyuk - 11 Brendan Gallagher 62 Arturri Lehkonen - 14 Tomas Plekanec - 41 Paul Byron 67 Max Pacioretty- 51 David Desharnais - 65 Andrew Shaw 24 Phillip Danault - 17 Torrey Mitchell - 32 Bryan Flynn
74 Alexei Emelin - 6 Shea Weber 79 Andrei Markov - 26 Jeff Petry 28 Nathan Beaulieu - 8 Greg Pateryn
31 Carey Price [35 Al Montoya]
Scratches: Daniel Carr (healthy), Zach Redmond (healthy), Joel Hanley (healthy).