Flyers-Kings: Game 53 Preview

 

By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor 

Over the course of the week, the Flyers established themselves as a Jekyll-and-Hyde team out of the All-Star Break. They looked like they belonged nowhere near NHL ice on Tuesday against Carolina, yet rebounded for a win over a top East club in Montreal a game later. 

They'll look to continue that momentum with a matinee matchup against a Los Angeles Kings squad that has been hot over their last few games. Not only have the Kings won their past four games, they've scored at least three goals in each game, they've earned two shutouts and have allowed only three goals.

Puck drop is set for 1 p.m.

Flyers Leaders GP G A P Kings Leaders GP G A P
Jake Voracek 52 14 31 45 Jeff Carter 51 26 20 42
Claude Giroux 52 12 29 40 Anze Kopitar 45 6 25 31
Wayne Simmonds 52 21 17 38 Drew Doughty 51 8 22 30
Brayden Schenn 49 16 19 35 Alec Martinez 51 7 20 27
Travis Konecny 50 7 15 22 Tanner Pearson 49 15 11 26
 
 
Player to Watch
28 Claude Giroux 77 Jeff Carter
Last 5 Games: 2 G, 1 A, 3 P, -1 Last 5 Games: 2 G, 3 A, 5 P, +1
 
 

Late in the second period, Claude Giroux got the Flyers' offense going against the Canadiens. He's got points in three of his last five games. Look for him to keep his momentum rolling against the Kings — a team he has three goals and 10 points in 12 games against.

 
While Jeff Carter is enjoying yet another productive season with the Kings, this season is almost another level for him. With 26 goals, he's close to cracking the 30-goal mark for the first time since his last season as a Flyer in 2010-11, and he could very well set a new high for points in his Kings career.
 
Goalie Matchup
30 Michal Neuvirth

31 Peter Budaj

8-4-0, 3.17 GAA, .885 SV% 24-14-3, 2.01 GAA, .922 SV%

Michal Neuvirth is expected to make back-to-back starts for the first time since November. He stopped 15 of 16 shots against the Canadiens, as the Flyers conceded a season-low shots.

Peter Budaj is expected to take the reigns for the Kings, as he's occupied the lion's share of game action as a result of Jonathan Quick's injury. Wednesday's shutout against the lowly Avalanche was his career-high sixth shutout, and he turned away 22 saves.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches: Travis Konecny, Shayne Gostisbehere, Michael Del Zotto

Left Wing Center Right Wing
12 Michael Raffl 28 Claude Giroux 93 Jakub Voracek
22 Dale Weise 10 Brayden Schenn 17 Wayne Simmonds
25 Nick Cousins 14 Sean Couturier 24 Matt Read
76 Chris VandeVelde 78 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 13 Roman Lyubimov
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 47 Andrew MacDonald  
32 Mark Streit 3 Radko Gudas  
23 Brandon Manning 55 Nick Schultz  
Goalie    
30 Michal Neuvirth    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (9th, 7th at home), Kings (21st, 25th on the road)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (18th, 12th at home), Kings (7th, 7th on the road) 
  • Milestone Watch:
    • Mark Streit is five goals away from 100 in his career.
    • Matt Read is four assists away from 100 in his career.
    • Michael Raffl is eight points away from 100 in his career.
  • Recent History vs. Los Angeles
    • 10/24/16: The Flyers opened their season with a visit to Staples Center, and left with a resounding 4-2 win. Sean Couturier netted two goals, while Boyd Gordon and Mark Streit also scored. Michal Neuvirth posted 23 saves on 25 shots.

Where to Watch
TV: CSN
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

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