Flyers-Kings: Game 33 Preview

The Philadelphia Flyers will try to extend their winning streak to lucky number seven but will have to do so against the resurgent Los Angeles Kings.

By Dan Heaning, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

It's hard to get a hold on this Philadelphia Flyers team. After losing ten games in a row, the Orange and Black will try to earn their seventh straight victory tonight at 7 from the Wells Fargo Center, but standing in their way is the top team in the Pacific Division, the Los Angeles Kings.

Once known for stifling defense, the Kings have added an element of speed to their game. Thanks to this faster play, head coach John Stevens has implemented a mix of suffocating defense and offense coming off quick transitional play. Flyers fans will remember this style from Stevens' time in Philadelphia as coach. Instead, this time around, he's revived the play of Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown in the City of Angels rather than develop the likes of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter like he did a decade ago in the City of Brotherly Love.

However, the Flyers faced this strategy already once this season in a 2-0 defeat to Los Angeles. The real difference in the game was an inexperienced Travis Sanheim not keeping his head on a swivel which allowed the Kings to gain the lead. If the game is tight in a similar fashion, Sanheim will likely not be making the same mistake which would put this game up for grabs.

The Kings have a two-point lead in the Pacific Division over the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, but Vegas has two games in hand. However, the Kings are two points behind the Nashville Predators for the lead in the Western Conference. The Flyers, with their win streak, have moved from the cellar of the East and into striking distance of a playoff spot. The Flyers are four points behind the New York Islanders and New York Rangers for one of the Eastern Conference wild card spots. With a win, the Flyers can tie the Pittsburgh Penguins in points with a game in hand as well.

Team Leaders

The last time Brian Elliott surrendered three goals, the Flyers lost. That is how good Elliott has been during this seven-game win streak. The Flyers starting netminder has surrendered a mere nine goals with a .949 save percentage during the streak. Furthermore, he's posted a save percentage below .923 only once during the streak. However, Elliott hasn't been perfect. The goal he allowed to Patrick Marleau in the Toronto game was extremely soft and put the team behind the proverbial eightball. It squashed any hopes of momentum the Flyers opening goal would have created and gave the Leafs an opportunity to steal the game if not for the Flyers furious third period comeback. Elliott battled back and played well in that game to his credit, but those soft goals could be the difference between winning and losing especially when the opposing team's goalie is one of the league's best. 

With 16 really good starts and only two really bad starts, don't expect Jonathan Quick to gift wrap this one to the Flyers. Instead, scoring may be a baffling chore for the Orange and Black like it was in their first meeting this season when Quick stopped all 35 shots for s shutout. On the bright side for Philadelphia, Quick hasn't been great on the Kings road trip to the East Coast. Quick surrendered five goals to the New Jerse Devils and three to the New York Rangers with save percentages of .808 and .889. Getting to Quick early will be essential for the Flyers. However, should they get him into a rhythm in the process, the consequences may be an end to their current win streak.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: Brandon Manning has a hand injury and is expected to miss three to four weeks, Michal Neuvirth is out one to two weeks with a leg injury.

Scratches: Jori Lehtera, Mark Alt (healthy)