Old friends return to Philly as Flyers face off with Flames
The Game: 7:00 PM, NBCSP, ESPN+, 93.3 WMMR
The Flyers are back at home again tonight and set to kick off another gauntlet. They’re staring down seven home games over the next 12 days as the schedule picks way up again, to make up for time lost during the break. It’s going to be a tough stretch, but the Flyers are hoping that they can keep the good vibes rolling from beating the best team in the league on Saturday back in Winnipeg. Tonight’s matchup might not have major divisional standings implications — they’re still four points back on the Rangers and can’t close that gap tonight — but they’ll still be motivated, all the same.
On the flip side, while vibes are high for the Flyers, they’re a little less high for the Flames. They’re still holding on to that last wildcard position in the West, but the Canucks are breathing down their necks, and that position is anything but secure. Add into the mix the fact that the Flames are sitting with a three-game losing streak and have failed to score more than one goal across that span, and things are beginning to creep towards feeling dire over there. So that’s something the Flyers will have to be mindful of, that they’re facing off against a team that’s very quickly approaching desperation time, and their focus can’t slip here.
Storylines to Watch
The return of old friends
There’s a lot that can be dug into as far as the hockey itself in this matchup is concerned, but there’s no bigger storyline than the fact that tonight will be the first time back in the Wells Fargo Center for both Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost since the trade at the end of January. And this game is going to be a weighty one. Certainly, too, both players will be working to bring their A-game to make an impression, and that will be something to look out for, but above all, this will be a heavy one emotionally — two players returning who were with the team for a long time and who meant a lot to the team and who the team meant a lot to them. Certainly, their welcome back will be a warm one.
Ersson again
After having a full and complete night off when the Flyers were in Winnipeg — with Ivan Fedotov starting and Aleksei Kolosov (remember him?) backing up — Sam Ersson is right back at it tonight, starting against the Flames. Perhaps the one benefit of having a trio of goaltenders hanging around on the roster at the moment means that the Flyers are really able to better manage Ersson’s load, and avoid running him into the ground as has happened (but we’ll acknowledge more of less needed to happen) in seasons past. Hopefully with that bit of rest taken in, he’ll be back in top form and ready to go against the Flames — a team who hasn’t exactly been lighting it up offensively recently, but will certainly be motivated to make things interesting on the Flyers.
The race is on
Matvei Michkov is on fire. You know it, we know it, everyone knows it. Since returning from the break, he has three goals and five assists, and has pulled himself well and truly back into the conversation among skaters for the Calder Trophy. Though Lane Hutson’s pulled ahead in total points (48), Michkov is tied for second in rookie points (44) with Macklin Celebrini, and has a one-goal edge on him as it stands. Now, Michkov was held off the board in Winnipeg, and he’ll all but certainly be extra motivated to get himself back on the scoresheet again tonight, and start chipping away at Hutson’s advantage again.
The Lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby BrinkOwen Tippett – Sean Couturier – Matvei MichkovAndrei Kuzmenko – Scott Laughton – Travis KonecnyJakob Pelletier – Ryan Poehling – Nic Deslauriers
Cam York – Travis SanheimEgor Zamula – Rasmus RistolainenNick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Sam Ersson(Ivan Fedotov)
Calgary Flames
Jonathan Huberdeau – Nazem Kadri – Matt CoronatoJoel Farabee – Mikael Backlund – Blake ColemanConnor Zary – Morgan Frost – Martin PospisilRyan Lomberg – Kevin Rooney – Adam Klapka
Kevin Bahl – Rasmus AnderssonJoel Hanley – Mackenzie WeegarJake Bean – Daniil Miromanov
Dustin Wolf(Dan Vladar)...
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