Flyers-Sharks: Game 14 Preview

Kevin Durso

November 3 2018

(Photo: Kate Frese)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

The Flyers are riding the momentum of back-to-back wins for the first time this season and if they want to make it three in a row, they will need to have revenge on their minds.

It was just under a month ago that the San Jose Sharks came into Wells Fargo Center and embarrassed the Flyers in their home opener to the tune of an 8-2 drubbing. The two teams meet again in San Jose on Saturday night.

Game time is at 10:30 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	San Jose Sharks	GP	G	A	P
Claude Giroux	13	4	10	14	Logan Couture	13	6	9	15
Jake Voracek	13	3	10	13	Brent Burns	13	3	12	15
Wayne Simmonds	13	7	1	8	Timo Meier	13	9	5	14
Robert Hagg	13	3	4	7	Tomas Hertl	13	5	8	13
Nolan Patrick	10	3	3	6	Evander Kane	13	4	6	10

Player to Watch
23 Oskar Lindblom	28 Timo Meier
Last 5 Games: 1 G, 2 A, 3 P, E	Last 5 Games: 5 G, 3 A, 8 P, -1

Oskar Lindblom has three points in the last two games, two to set up go-ahead goals and one goal off his foot that proved to be the game-winner in LA. His chemistry with Nolan Patrick has been strong lately, so watch for him and the rest of the second line to have another big game.

There aren't many players hotter than Timo Meier at the moment. With five goals and eight points in his last five games, Meier is lighting up the scoresheet.

Goalie Matchup
33 Cal Pickard	31 Martin Jones
2-1-0, 4.75 GAA, .833 SV%	5-3-1, 2.66 GAA, .902 SV%

The Flyers turn to Cal Pickard for the start on Saturday in San Jose. Brian Elliott has received the bulk of the starts and with word that Michal Neuvirth is returning to Philadelphia for further examination for potentially another injury, it leaves the Flyers with little option to get Elliott a break. They will try to extend their winning streak with the backup on Saturday.

The Sharks turn to usual starter Martin Jones. Jones did not start the game in Philadelphia in October, but has been solid this season with a 2.66 GAA.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: James van Riemsdyk, Michael Raffl, Michal Neuvirth

Scratches: Andrew MacDonald, Tyrell Goulbourne

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux	14 Sean Couturier	11 Travis Konecny
23 Oskar Lindblom	19 Nolan Patrick	93 Jake Voracek
22 Dale Weise	40 Jordan Weal	17 Wayne Simmonds
21 Scott Laughton	15 Jori Lehtera	62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defense
9 Ivan Provorov	8 Robert Hagg
53 Shayne Gostisbehere	26 Christian Folin
6 Travis Sanheim	3 Radko Gudas
Goalie
33 Cal Pickard

Lineup Notes

The Flyers made no chances to the lineup in Wednesday's practice, so expect the same lines as in Tuesday's win.

Sharks Projected Lineup

Scratches: Antti Suomela, Tim Heed, Radim Simek

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
9 Evander Kane	19 Joe Thornton	8 Joe Pavelski
48 Tomas Hertl	39 Logan Couture	28 Timo Meier
27 Joonas Donskoi	60 Rourke Chartier	62 Kevin Labanc
20 Marcus Sorensen	23 Barclay Goodrow	68 Melker Karlsson
Defense
47 Joakim Ryan	88 Brent Burns
44 Marc-Edouard Vlasic	61 Justin Braun
4 Brenden Dillon	65 Erik Karlsson
Goalie
31 Martin Jones

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (T-22nd, 22nd on road), Sharks (T-15th, 18th at home)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (30th, 25th on road), Sharks (5th, 8th at home)
Recent History vs. Sharks
- Oct. 4, 2017 – Flyers 5, Sharks 3 (at SJ)
- Nov. 28, 2017 – Sharks 3, Flyers 1 (at PHI)
- Oct. 9, 2018 – Sharks 8, Flyers 2 (at PHI)
Flyers Leaders vs. Sharks
- Claude Giroux – 16 GP, 8 G, 6 A, 14 P
- Shayne Gostisbehere – 7 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P
- Jake Voracek – 23 GP, 2 G, 11 A, 13 P
- Brian Elliott – 15 GP, 7-5-1, 3.02 GAA, .910 SV%
- Michal Neuvirth – 7 GP, 2-4-0, 2.39 GAA, .923 SV%