What a difference a year makes. The last time the Flyers and Senators squared off on a Saturday afternoon in April it was the Senators' who were capable of clinching a playoff spot which is exactly what they did on the final weekend of the season.
This time around, the Senators fate has been sealed but it is the Flyers who can take another step towards securing a post-season berth. They currently hold the second wild-card spot, tied with the Red Wings but holding 2 games in hand. They have a busy week ahead, with 6 games (3 sets of back to backs) in the next 9 days starting today.
Ottawa didn't practice on Friday, so we aren't sure if Ben Harpur will stay in the lineup or which goalie will start, but other than that the lineup will be the same as it was in Minnesota. Mark Stone is in Ottawa waiting for his mates to return, so Scott Gomez will be in the lineup again barring a call to Binghamton, which is entirely possible given the proximity to Philly.
Once again the focus will be on Erik Karlsson as the debate over whether or not a non-playoff bound defenseman can win the Norris. His stats are in rarified air, and playoffs or not he has been the most explosive defenseman in the game and has a unique skillset nobody else has. Whether that is enough to make the voters do something that has never been done remains to be seen.
The Flyers have been on a good run of late, and the offense has come from both expected and unexpected sources. Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds all have double digit points in the last month, as do Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl. From the blue line, rookie of the year candidate Shayne Gostisbehere has continued to roll but seeing the name Radko Gudas among the leaders is certainly a surprise.
Known more for his physicality than offensive flair, Gudas is tied with Grioux at 5 goals in the last 14 games to lead the team.
The Flyers signed former Sens goalie Ray Emery to a tryout contract last week, as insurance in the wake of the injury to Michal Neuvirth but he isn't expected to play for the Flyers any time soon. So that means the fate of the Flyers rests on the shoulders of Steve Mason, who has started more games but whose numbers aren't as impressive as Neuvirth, who is out for another weeke or two with a torn meniscus in his knee.
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