Flyers-Red Wings: Game 48 Preview

12-20-2017_FlyersvsRedWings_2ndedit_credKateFrese-18

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers will get a much-needed break at the end of the week with the All-Star break, and it will be welcome. They are in the midst of playing six games in 10 days.

Tuesday night's game is the fifth of the six, as they remain on the road to face the Detroit Red Wings.

Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P Detroit Red Wings GP G A P
Claude Giroux 47 14 41 55 Dylan Larkin 46 8 30 38
Jake Voracek 47 8 45 53 Henrik Zetterberg 46 6 25 31
Sean Couturier 47 26 21 47 Anthony Mantha 44 15 14 29
Shayne Gostisbehere 43 9 24 33 Mike Green 46 5 21 26
Wayne Simmonds 47 16 13 29 Gustav Nyquist 46 14 9 23
 
Player to Watch
28 Claude Giroux 72 Andreas Athanasiou
Last 5 Games: 0 G, 3 A, 3 P, E Last 5 Games: 1 G, 5 A, 6 P, +4
 
Claude Giroux will be the Flyers lone All-Star representative this weekend. Lately, his numbers have been padded by helpers. Giroux has just one goal in the last 17 games, but has 20 assists in that time, including three in the Flyers first meeting with the Red Wings in December. With just one point in the last three games, Giroux is due to put up some numbers in some form.
 
Andreas Athanasiou has 23 points on the season in 36 games, but six of them have come in the last four games. In addition, the speedy winger has four goals in six career games against the Flyers.
 
Goalie Matchup
37 Brian Elliott 34 Petr Mrazek
18-11-7, 2.79 GAA, .908 SV% 5-5-1, 3.14 GAA, .904 SV%

Brian Elliott is back in net for the Flyers on Tuesday night after making 27 saves in their overtime win in Washington on Sunday. Elliott has been a workhorse for the Flyers, but has gotten a much-needed break between the team's bye week and a couple of starts for Michal Neuvirth.

The Red Wings are on a back-to-back, but it is expected that Petr Mrazek will be back in goal for Detroit. Mrazek has just 14 games played this season and five wins, but has been on a hot streak of late. He enters Tuesday's game having won three of his last four starts and coming off back-to-back shutouts, including Monday's 37-save blanking of the Devils.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches: Dale Weise, Taylor Leier, Mark Alt

Left Wing Center Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux 14 Sean Couturier 11 Travis Konecny
12 Michael Raffl 51 Valtteri Filppula 93 Jake Voracek
40 Jordan Weal 19 Nolan Patrick 17 Wayne Simmonds
15 Jori Lehtera 21 Scott Laughton 56 Tyrell Goulbourne
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 53 Shayne Gostisbehere  
8 Robert Hagg 47 Andrew MacDonald  
23 Brandon Manning 3 Radko Gudas  
Goalie    
37 Brian Elliott    

Lineup Notes

The Flyers lines are expected to use the same lines as their back-to-back weekend wins. Mark Alt is now the extra defenseman after being called up with Travis Sanheim returning to the minors.

Red Wings Projected Lineup

Injuries: Luke Glendening, Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Trevor Daley

Scratches: Xavier Ouellet

Left Wing Center Right Wing
39 Anthony Mantha 40 Henrik Zetterberg 14 Gustav Nyquist
59 Tyler Bertuzzi 71 Dylan Larkin 72 Andreas Athanasiou
21 Tomas Tatar 51 Frans Nielsen 17 David Booth
28 Luke Witkowski 23 Dominic Turgeon 42 Martin Frk
Defense    
65 Danny Dekeyser 25 Mike Green  
52 Jonathan Ericsson 3 Nick Jensen  
55 Niklas Kronwall 2 Joe Hicketts  
Goalie    
34 Petr Mrazek    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (12th, 7th on road), Red Wings (T-17th, 16th at home)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (29th, 23rd on road), Red Wings (23rd, 22nd at home) 
  • Recent History vs. Red Wings
    • Dec. 20, 2017 – Flyers 4, Red Wings 3 (at PHI)
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Red Wings
    • Claude Giroux – 18 GP, 7 G, 14 A, 21 P
    • Jake Voracek – 31 GP, 5 G, 16 A, 21 P
    • Wayne Simmonds – 27 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 P
    • Brian Elliott – 14 GP, 6-6-2, 2.39 GAA

Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

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