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Flyers Gameday: 12/12/18 @ CGY

December 12, 2018, 7:07 AM ET [865 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Game 29 Preview: Flyers @ Flames

Dave Hakstol's Philadelphia Flyers (12-13-3) are in Alberta on Wednesday to take on Bill Peters' Calgary Flames (19-10-2). Game time at Scotiabank Saddledome is 8:30 p.m. ET.

The game will be televised locally on NBCSP. The radio broadcast can be found on 97.5 FM The Fanatic with an online simulcast at FlyersRadio247.com.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the inter-conference clubs, and the lone game in Calgary. They will rematch in Philadelphia on Jan. 5, 2019. Last season, the Flyers took three of four possible points against the Flames.

On Nov. 18. 2017 in Philadelphia, the Flyers took a 3-1 lead to the first intermission before a Sean Monahan hat trick -- with all three goals coming on the power play -- and Nolan Patrick's second NHL goal sent the teams to the locker room after the second period tied at 4-4. The game eventually went to overtime before Michal Frolik game the Flames a 5-4 OT victory. Johnny Gaudreau tallied for Calgary in the first period along with Brandon Manning, Sean Couturier (power play) and Ivan Provorov for Philly.

On Dec. 4, 2017 at the Saddledome, the Flyers ended a 10-game winless streak (0-5-5) with a 5-2 win over the Flames; marking the start of a turnaround to the season. Philly rolled out a systemic change, switching to a neutral zone trap.

The teams went to the first intermission tied at 1-1 on goals by Troy Brouwer and Valtteri Filppula. The Flyers took control in the second period (despite a 21-7 shot on goal disadvantage) on goals by Scott Laughton, Michael Raffl and Wayne Simmonds. Monahan got one back late in the period for Calgary but Laughton notched second goal of the game early in the third period to restore a three-goal margin for the Flyers. Former Flames goalie Brian Elliott earned the win with 43 saves on 45 shots.

Flyers Outlook

Wednesday's game is the third in a five-game road trip for the Flyers. The team has won just four of its last 12 games overall (4-6-2). Philly is 7-6-1 on the road and 5-7-2 on home ice to date.

In Winnipeg on Sunday, the Flyers outplayed the Jets for the first 28 minutes but found themselves in a 3-1 hole largely because of a major disparity in the goaltending performances. Connor Hellebuyck was outstanding, whereas, in just his second game of the season, Flyers starter Michal Neuvirth struggled (partially culpable for each of three goals on 10 shots) before being pulled in favor of Anthony Stolarz. Thereafter, the Jets dominated the remaining 32 minutes and went to crush Philadelphia, 7-1. Jakub Voracek scored the lone Flyers goal, cutting a 2-0 deficit to one goal late in the first period on a deflection of a Travis Sanheim point shot.

The Flyers had been on a roll on the penalty kill coming into the Winnipeg game, with 15 straight successful kills. That came to an end in Winnipeg, as the Jets scored three times on six advantages. One was on Neuvirth (a low glove-side shot) although he was screened by Flyers defenseman Provorov. One was an accidental deflection by Flyers forward Dale Weise that severely changed paths and bounced past Stolarz. The final one was the Flyers PK being insufficiently competitive.

Philly's power play also continued to be unable to find the net. Their first man advantage opportunity generated all sorts of pressure and three prime scoring chances but Hellebuyck had the answers. On the second one, a puck hopped past Shayne Gostisbehere on a keep attempt and Blake Wheeler countered for a semi-breakaway goal despite a desperation slash from "Ghost."

Couturier has missed the last two games with a lower body injury. He is considered day-to-day, but practiced on Tuesday and is expected to return for this game. Claude Giroux took a maintenance day on Tuesday after the off-day on Monday. Elliott is close to returning from a lower-body injury (suspected groin pull).

Hakstol changed up various line combinations at Tuesday's practice. It appears that Giroux will remain at center for the time being, and Couturier will center the second line. Nolan Patrick dropped to the third line and Scott Laughton moved back from center to left wing.

Entering this game, the Flyers have scored an average 3.04 goals per game (ranked 14th) and have a team 3.61 GAA (29th).

Offensively, the Flyers have been feast-or-famine. They have scored four or more goals in 12 games. However, they've also been shut out four times and held to a single goal in four other games.

Defensively, Philly has actually tightened things up for the most part, although they must take better care of the puck. Goaltending has been the big issue. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers are 4th in fewest high danger chances allowed and tied for second-fewest overall scoring chances allowed. Unfortunately, the Flyers goalies rank 28th in the NHL in save percentage across all scoring chances (although 11th in save percentage specific to high-danger chances).

The Flyers power play comes in at 13.6 percent (11-for-81, 30th) with five shorthanded goals yielded. The penalty kill enters at 71.7 percent (56-for-92, 31st) with two shorthanded goals scored (Dale Weise at Pittsburgh on Dec. 1, Giroux in Buffalo on Dec. 8).

The Flyers have scored first in 10 games and are 6-2-2 in those games. They have trailed first 18 times. When yielding the game's first goal, the Flyers are 6-11-1.

Side note: According to multiple reports, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher plans to hire his former Minnesota Wild assistant general manager, Brent Flahr, to become the Flyers assistant general manager with a focus on the hockey ops side.

Flames Outlook

The Flames enter this game leading the Western Conference with 40 points. The team is 7-2-1 over its last 10 games overall. At home this season, the Flames are 10-3-2.

Gaudreau leads the Flames in scoring with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) and has collected three power play goals and 10 power play assists along the way. He is followed by Monahan with 35 points (18 goals including seven on the power play, 17 assists), Elias Lindholm (16 goals, 34 points, +14), Matthew Tkachuk (13 goals,33 points) and veteran defenseman and team captain Mark Giordano (three goals, 26 assists, +16). Giordano is eligible to return from a two-game NHL suspension.

However, for the second straight game, the Flyers are running into an offensively potent team than got shut out in its previous match heading into playing Philadelphia. Calgary enters this game coming off a 1-0 road loss to the rival Edmonton Oilers. A mid first period goal by Connor McDavid stood as the game's only goal. David Rittich stopped 29 of 30 shots in a losing cause for the Flames.Calgary went 5-for-5 on the PK and 0-for-2 on the power play.

Rittich has appeared in 15 games so far; 13 starts, two relief appearances. He has posted a record of 8-3-1, with a 2.21 GAA, .921 save percentage and one shutout. Veteran netminder Mike Smith has played in 19 games (18 starts, one relief outing) with a record of 11-7-1, 2.88 GAA, .894 SV% and one shutout.

Despite the shutout loss on Sunday, the Flames enter his game tied for 5th in the NHL with an average 3.45 goals scored per game. Meanwhile, the team 2.71 GAA is tied for 4th-best in the league. That's what one would expect from a team atop a conference.

On special teams, the Flames check in at 22.4 percent on the power play (24-for-107, ranked 12th) with three opposing shorthanded goals scored. The Calgary penalty kill enters at 78.2 percent (77-for-98, 20th) but the team has also scored six shorthanded goals; second-most in the NHL to Arizona's 11. Mark Jankowski has scored two shorties, while fellow forwards Mikael Backlund and Frolik and defenseman Noah Hanifin, and T.J. Brodie have scored one apiece.

The Flames have some injury issues at present. Backlund is out indefinitely with a suspected concussion. Frolik (lower body) is also on injured reserve. Defenseman Michael Stone is on IR due to a blood clot in his arm.

Calgary recalled forward Ryan Lomberg from the AHL on Monday. However, he is ineligible to play in this game. Lomberg must serve a one-game NHL suspension for instigating a Dec. 6 fight with Minnesota's Matt Dumba in response to Dumba steamrolling and apparently concussing Backlund. Because the instigation took place within the final five minutes of the game, it carried an automatic one-game suspension for Lomberg and a $10,000 fine for head coach Peters.

It was in that same game against the Wild that Giordano kneed Minnesota's Mikko Koivu, which was the cause of his two-game suspension. He sat out Saturday's 5-2 home win over the Nashville Predators and Sunday's road shutout loss in Edmonton.

PROJECTED LINEUPS (Subject to change)

FLYERS

25 James van Riemsdyk - 28 Claude Giroux - 11 Travis Konecny
12 Michael Raffl - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jakub Voracek
21 Scott Laughton - 19 Nolan Patrick - 17 Wayne Simmonds
23 Oskar Lindblom - 44 Phil Varone - 22 Dale Weise

9 Ivan Provorov - 8 Robert Hägg
53 Shayne Gostisbehere - 47 Andrew Macdonald
6 Travis Sanheim - 3 Radko Gudas

41 Anthony Stolarz
[30 Michal Neuvirth]

Scratches: 40 Jordan Weal (healthy), 15 Jori Lehterä (healthy), 26 Christian Folin (healthy), 37 Brian Elliott (IR, lower body), 10 Corban Knight (IR, collarbone), 5 Sam Morin (ACL surgery).

FLAMES

13 Johnny Gaudreau - 23 Sean Monahan - 28 Elias Lindholm
19 Matthew Tkachuk - 10 Derek Ryan - 93 Sam Bennett
88 Andrew Mangiapane - 77 Mark Jankowski - 18 James Neal
27 Austin Czarnik - 89 Alan Quine - 21 Garnet Hathaway

55 Noah Hanifin - 24 Travis Hamonic
7 T.J. Brodie - 5 Mark Giordano
58 Oliver Kylington - 4 Rasmus Andersson

33 David Rittich / 41 Mike Smith

Scratches: 6 Dalton Prout (healthy), 56 Ryan Lomberg (NHL suspension), 11 Mikael Backlund (suspected concussion), 67 Michael Frolik (IR, lower body), 8 Jusso Välimäki (IR, lower body),26 Michael Stone (IR, blood clot).
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