Flyers looking for any signs of life in Sunrise, Florida

The Flyers are entering the second half of a back to back on their Florida trip and it is not going to get any easier. They are coming into Sunrise, Florida to take on the Panthers. They lost to the Panthers this season already but it was a weird game with a ref going down with an injury.

There were a lot of penalties taken by the Flyers in that game but none of that matters if they can’t put the puck in the back of the net. The Panthers are even better than the Tampa Bay Lightning and as such will be an even bigger challenge.

There is usually some good things that you can take away from games but last night, there wasn’t much to take away. Back to backs have never been the Flyers forte, regardless of the personal on the ice. They are just not playing good hockey and losing Derick Brassard did not help either. Carter Hart was the bright spot for most of the night. Three of the goals were on the defense but specifically one player. If they go on a losing skid now, it is going to hurt them in the long run.

Philadelphia Flyers

8-6-3 (19 points, 6th in the Metro)

The Flyers are coming off their third shut out of the season where the offense just couldn’t seem to get anything past Andrei Vasilevskiy. They came out with energy in the first period but just got worse as the game went. The penalties in the second didn’t help them but neither did defensman Nick Seeler who held responsibility for three out of four of the goals. The power play again looked really bad.

Seeler can not stay on his feet. It cost them the second goal when he went diving off for a Stamkos shot and the puck just went right back to him for an easy goal. He also screened Hart on the first goal by Bogosian as well. The third goal was a walk in for Corey Perry. Seeler just watched from across the crease as he walked in and put it over Hart’s shoulder. I get protecting the pass, but you need to at least make it a little difficult for the forward to score.

The Flyers had difficulty sustaining any sort of pressure in the offensive zone. Outside of the first period, the Lightning pretty much controlled possession of the puck. They showed a few signs of life but otherwise were just flat. You would think the Flyers would want to beat a team who beat them five days prior but they just didn’t have any mojo. Maybe they will find a groove tonight and can move puck and drive play during 5 on 5 play.

Morgan Frost is getting an emergency call up. This will be the second time in his career that he will be called up for the first time against the Panthers as well. We all remember his gorgeous back hander over the shoulder of Bobrovsky in his debut. Maybe a splash of youth will get this team moving in the right direction. Pucks in the back of the net and a lot of them will do wonders for this team but they first need to get some zone time and with Frost being called up and projected to play with Giroux and Atkinson, I expect them that line to have two or three goals.

Martin Jones is getting the nod tonight. He lost his last game against Boston but in a game that was entirely not his fault. Jones is 3-2-0 this season and has a GAA of 2.82 and of 92 SV%. Jones has been a good back up for Hart but he, just like Hart, has not received much goal scoring help. Goalies are only as good as the team in front of them and the team has not been great. The goalies have done their job game in and out but not everyone is keeping their end of the bargain.

Projected Lineup

Farabee – Couturier – Konecny

Giroux – Frost – Atkinson

Willman – Laughton – van Riemsdyk 

Lindblom – Thompson – MacEwen

Provorov – Braun

Sanheim – Ristolainen

 Yandle – Seeler

Jones

Florida Panthers

13-2-3 (29 points, 1st in the Atlantic)

The Panthers are one of the best teams in the NHL and the Flyers are going to have a rough go at it tonight. They are first in the league in goals for and seventh for goals against. Even with their power play being a little below average and their PK being just above average, they play their best hockey during 5-on-5.

The Panthers have had a wild start to season, not only being one of the best teams in the league and a complete 360 from last season, but also lost head coach Joel Quennville. Despite all the happenings, the Panthers are still playing some really good hockey. This is also Quennville hockey that we are seeing finally be executed. But at some point, the balloon comes back down to Earth after popping and with Quennville, this team should have that happen.

Jonathan Huberdeau seems to have found oil this season as he is a point per game player. He leads the team with 18 points with six goals and 12 assists. Following him is Aleksander Barkov who has 17 points in 15 games played. You know a team is playing really well when they have nine players already in double digits in points with three more on the cusp with nine. This team is clicking and will absolutely be a tough match for any team.

Former Flyer and Blue Jacket, Sergei Bobrovsky, will get the nod in net tonight. Bobrovsky is 8-0-2 this season with a GAA of 1.99 and of 93.7 SV%. He has nine quality starts in 10 games. That is absolutely killer for a goalie and gives a team a ton of free range to be as offensively open and free as possible.

Projected Lineup

Huberdeua – Bennett – Duclair

Verhaeghe – Lundell – Reinhart

Vatrano – Thornton – Tippet

Lomberg – Luostarinen – Hornqvist

Weegar – Ekblad

Forsling – Gudas

Carlsson – Montour

Bobrovsky

When, Where, and How to Watch

Time: 7:00 PM

Where: BB&T Arena

TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Radio Broadcast: 93.3 WMMR

Live Stream: Fubo TV

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