Flyers-Senators: Game 52 Preview

Kevin Durso

February 3 2018

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

The Flyers have learned the hard way over the last three games how quickly things can changes in the tight Eastern Conference standings. They may still hold a playoff spot, but three straight losses have them clinging to that spot.

In need of a bounce-back game, the Flyers face the struggling Ottawa Senators.

Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	Ottawa Senators	GP	G	A	P
Jake Voracek	51	10	50	60	Mark Stone	44	18	26	44
Claude Giroux	51	15	43	58	Erik Karlsson	44	5	29	34
Sean Couturier	51	26	24	50	Mike Hoffman	49	12	20	32
Shayne Gostisbehere	47	10	25	35	Derick Brassard	49	12	16	28
Wayne Simmonds	51	17	15	32	Matt Duchene	49	11	15	26

Player to Watch
93 Jake Voracek	65 Erik Karlsson
Last 5 Games: 2 G, 5 A, 7 P, +1	Last 5 Games: 1 G, 2 A, 3 P, -3

With seven points in the last four games, Jake Voracek has vaulted to the team lead with 60 points. He also snapped a long scoring drought on Jan. 23, and has been rolling ever since. Look for him to make an impact offensively.

Though he missed some time at the start of the season, Erik Karlsson has remained one of the Senators top players. It's been a disappointing year all around for the Senators, but Karlsson is still the leader of the team and with the team battling injuries, essentially the entire game runs through the captain.

Goalie Matchup
49 Alex Lyon	41 Craig Anderson
0-1-0, 3.58 GAA, .852 SV%	12-17-5, 3.17 GAA, .903 SV%

The Flyers will go back to Alex Lyon in goal on Saturday. Lyon allowed two third period goals to New Jersey in the Flyers loss on Thursday, but had played well up to that point. The Flyers may be giving him on more look before Brian Elliott is set to come off IR early next week.

It's been a rough go of late for Craig Anderson as well. Anderson's last two starts have been solid, allowing two goals in each, but both have been losses. He's currently on a four-game losing streak dating back to Jan. 10.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: Brian Elliott

Scratches: Dale Weise, Mark Alt

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux	14 Sean Couturier	11 Travis Konecny
93 Jake Voracek	19 Nolan Patrick	17 Wayne Simmonds
40 Jordan Weal	21 Scott Laughton	12 Michael Raffl
20 Taylor Leier	51 Valtteri Filppula	15 Jori Lehtera
Defense
9 Ivan Provorov	53 Shayne Gostisbehere
8 Robert Hagg	47 Andrew MacDonald
23 Brandon Manning	3 Radko Gudas
Goalie
49 Alex Lyon

Lineup Notes

The Flyers lines remain the same on Thursday as they were in Thursday's loss.

Senators Projected Lineup

Injuries: Mark Stone, Bobby Ryan, Chris Wideman, Filip Chlapik, Gabriel Dumont

Scratches: Fredrik Claesson

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
68 Mike Hoffman	95 Matt Duchene	36 Colin White
18 Ryan Dzingel	19 Derick Brassard	49 Chris DiDomenico
15 Zack Smith	44 Jean-Gabriel Pageau	10 Tom Pyatt
56 Magnus Paajarvi	17 Nate Thompson	14 Alexandre Burrows
Defense
72 Thomas Chabot	65 Erik Karlsson
2 Dion Phaneuf	5 Cody Ceci
29 Johnny Oduya	74 Mark Borowiecki
Goalie
41 Craig Anderson

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (8th, 21st at home), Senators (28th, 28th on road)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (T-29th, 29th at home), Senators (28th, 12th on road)
Recent History vs. Senators
- Oct. 26, 2017 – Senators 5, Flyers 4 (at OTT)
Flyers leaders vs. Senators
- Jake Voracek – 23 GP, 9 G, 10 A, 19 P
- Sean Couturier – 19 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 P
- Wayne Simmonds – 22 GP, 9 G, 7 A, 16 P