In warm and cloudy Tampa Bay, the Flyers will look to go 3-0 and to stay hot as they take on the three-time defending Eastern Conference Champions (yes, they won 2 Stanley Cups as well). But the Flyers will look to start one of their usual problem road trips off with a win.
The California road trip and Florida have always seemed to be a thorn in the Flyers side for a while. Getting two wins between the Lightning and the Panthers would be absolutely huge and a big confidence builder for this young team.
The Flyers have had two different games that they have played but have won both without their veteran sniper in Cam Atkinson, former Selke winner Sean Couturier and their bruiser on the blue line, Rasmus Ristolainen. The fact the Flyers have been playing so well without these guys in the lineup speaks volume to the way the team has responded to Tortorella and how they want to play for one another.
If we have learned anything about this team so far, it would be that they are trying to identify with Philadelphia and the word of the month has been resiliency. Whether you are talking about the Phillies or the Eagles, the word resiliency is ringing out across this town, and it is being given to the teams who embody what it means to be in Philadelphia. Who we are as Philadelphians and just how hard we work.
Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 2-0-0 (4 points, 4th in Metro)
The Flyers have a great opportunity to continue to prove the doubters wrong by taking down the Lightning. This is the first of two back to backs this week with them going to take on the Florida Panthers tomorrow. The Flyers have not been good over the past couple seasons in back-to-back situations which may change under Torts.
The morning skate this morning was optional. That may point to Torts trusting his guys and believing in them to an extent to not have a mandatory morning skate. Depending on the outcome tonight could change that for tomorrow morning.
Travis Konecny has been on fire starting this season. He seems to have found himself and his confidence which seemed to have been lost for the last two seasons. It may be that Torts is trusting TK, or if it’s the new system, but seeing him playing this way could lead him back to his19-20 form where he was projected to score 30+ goals. The way TK, Laughton and Hayes have been playing is only the beginning.
Carter Hart has been nothing short of incredible in these two games. While we will likely see Sandstrom at some point, Hart will most likely start tonight. Hart has seen 67 shots and has only given up four goals in those two games. The defense has been a big help to him this season, but it seems like that mental toughness AV used to preach has arrived. The difference is the way that AV has approached it and Torts is approaching it. Torts has put a lot of faith into his guys, and it shows for Hart. I expect Hart to have a big bounce back season and to hover around the .940 SV % he is currently posting.
Speaking on the defense, Tony DeAngelo and Ivan Provorov have been a pair and half for this team. DeAngelo has been everything advertised and more. His game has allowed Provorov more freedom to be who he was with Niskanen. Don’t get me wrong, I am not comparing DeAngelo to Niskanen, but the way these two have elevated each other’s game just shows how much Provorov has needed a partner who he can trust and believe in.
Zack MacEwen will join the team tonight. Given his time with the Phantoms, maybe he gained some more confidence to his game. MacEwen was most likely sent down so Torts could get some more looks at these young kids, but he is back and cannot be sent back down without being put on waivers. Hopefully Big Mac can bring some more physicality into this game against a big and strong team like the Lightning and maybe score a goal.
Projected Lineup
Scott Laughton – Kevin Hayes – Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk – Morgan Frost – Tanner Laczynski
Joel Farabee – Noah Cates – Wade Allison
Nicolas Deslauriers – Jackson Cates – Zack MacEwen
Ivan Provorov – Tony DeAngelo
Travis Sanheim – Justin Braun
Egor Zamula – Nick Seeler
Carter Hart
Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 1-2-0 (2 pts, 7th in Atlantic)
The Lightning are finally headed home tonight to raise their Eastern Conference Champions banner. It will be the first time in two years it doesn’t have Lord Stanley’s Cup on it. While the Lightning have been close to a dynasty, some would think it would be coming to an end. The Flyers would love to play spoiler tonight and get a win in Tampa.
Tampa Bay seems to be showing their age a bit this season. Could this be the downfall we have been expecting? Not adding a ton of youth into this hockey club, the Lightning currently have the third oldest team in the NHL with an average age of 29.23. While that doesn’t seem very old, in hockey standards it is. The game is getting faster and the youth that teams are infusing into their rosters are only going to get better.
The Lightning may be at a crossroads this season of trying for one more cup or begin to sell off some of their better pieces to bring in the young superstars of the league. The Florida Panthers did with moving on from Huberdeau and trading him for Matthew Tkachuk. The youth movement unfortunately happens, and no one beats father time. Well, unless you’re Jagr, then you just do whatever you want.
Vasilevskiy isn’t getting younger. With Brian Elliot as their backup, Vasilevskiy played a lot more games last season. Everything took a dip in his stats column. His SAs against went up while his SV% and GAA went south a bit. It leaves you to wonder if maybe fatigue is playing a role and will this season again. While seeing less shots than Hart, Vasilevskiy has given up five goals in two games.
The Lightning are averaging under three goals a game while their opponent is averaging over three. All of this in three games. This is not like the old Lightning team we have come to know over the last 3-4 years. If they aren’t careful, the Flyers can absolutely skate circles around them and take the victory easily.
Projected Lineup
Brandon Hagel- Brayden Point- Nikita Kucherov
Nick Paul- Steven Stamkos- Alex Killorn
Ross Colton- Vladislav Namestnikov- Corey Perry
Cole Koepke- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare- Pat Maroon
Victor Hedman- Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev- Nick Perbix
Ian Cole- Cal Foote
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Where, When and How to Watch/Listen
Time: 7 PM
Where: Amalie Arena
Watch: ESPN
Radio: 93.3 FM
Live Stream: Fubo Tv
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