Flyers-Sharks: Game 35 Preview

Kevin Durso

January 8 2022

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor

Following a seven-game points streak, the Flyers have been handed four straight losses, the first of those coming in the final game of the streak. Their next opponent is the team that started this new losing streak, the San Jose Sharks.

The Flyers will still be down several regulars as they take on the Sharks, who are also dealing with several absences, on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	San Jose Sharks	GP	G	A	P
Claude Giroux	32	11	18	29	Timo Meier	30	14	22	36
Cam Atkinson	34	14	11	25	Logan Couture	32	12	17	29
Travis Konecny	33	5	14	19	Tomas Hertl	35	17	11	28
Sean Couturier	29	6	11	17	Erik Karlsson	28	8	14	22
Joel Farabee	27	10	6	16	Alexander Barabanov	30	6	14	20

Cam Atkinson added another goal in Thursday's game and seems to be one of the few producing with any regularity. He has five points in his last five games.

Timo Meier was held off the scoresheet in last week's game against the Flyers, but has been putting up points regularly. In just the last three games, he has one goal and four assists. He also had a goal and an assist against Arizona in the first game back from the NHL's pause, giving him seven points in the last five games.

Martin Jones gets the start against his former team on Saturday. Jones was last in goal on Jan. 1 for a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He allowed five goals on 33 shots. Jones had won three straight starts prior.

Adin Hill is expected to get the start for San Jose. Hill was in goal on Tuesday for a win over the Buffalo Sabres, making 37 saves on 39 shots. That was Hill's first win since Dec. 7. This will be Hill's second start since Dec. 16, as he continues to fill in for an injured James Reimer.

Projected Lineups

Flyers Scratches: Claude Giroux (COVID protocol), Ivan Provorov (COVID protocol), Travis Konecny (COVID protocol), Travis Sanheim (COVID protocol), Sean Couturier (injury), Ryan Ellis (injury), Nate Thompson (injury), Derick Brassard (injury)

Sharks Scratches: Logan Couture (COVID protocol), Lane Pederson (COVID protocol), James Reimer (injury), Erik Karlsson (injury), Jacob Middleton (injury), Kevin Labanc (injury), Nikolai Knyzhov (injury), Rudolfs Balcers (injury), Nicolas Meloche (healthy)

Lineup Notes

Flyers: Nick Seeler and Jackson Cates return from COVID protocol and will be back in the lineup on Saturday. Connor Bunnaman and Egor Zamula were moved to the Taxi Squad.
Sharks: No changes are expected to the Sharks lineup, but they are down several players from last week's matchup against the Flyers. Logan Couture is in COVID protocol and James Reimer, Erik Karlsson, and Jacob Middleton are all out with injury.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (28th), Sharks (25th)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (19th), Sharks (6th)
Recent History vs. Sharks
- Dec. 30 – Sharks 3, Flyers 2 (F/OT) (at SJ)
Flyers Leaders vs. Sharks
- Oskar Lindblom – 3 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 P
- Kevin Hayes – 20 GP, 8 G, 7 A, 15 P
- Martin Jones – 3 GP, 1-1-0, 1.29 GAA, .946 SV%