After another blown third-period lead, the Flyers don't have time to sit on it. They're back on home ice and welcoming the Utah Hockey Club for the first time.
While this is the franchise's first time at the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia has faced the large majority of this team with they were the Arizona Coyotes. So not much changes, just the name of the team they're facing.
Philadelphia Flyers
Accountability comes for everyone and Travis Konecny found that out on Saturday afternoon. After missing some time in concussion protocol and returning to the bench late in the third, he did not see the ice. Nor did he take part in overtime. Tortorella confirmed the benching after the game, calling Konecny undisciplined. Konecny took an interference penalty on Charlie McAvoy and while the team wasn't burned on it, it was a penalty he should've avoided.
Both sides will move on from it, but it was another example of Tortorella holding everyone to the same standard. It doesn't matter if you're a rookie or the team's best player. Ice time will be cut if you don't play the right way.
After stints on IR, Sam Ersson and Jamie Drysdale will return to the Flyers' lineup. Ersson had missed the last 11 games, while Drysdale was out for 12. Philadelphia fared well in the absence of their number-one goaltender, but it will be good to get him back. Aleksei Kolosov will be the backup as the battle for the backup spot will continue.
Flyers Projected Roster
Joel Farabee - Sean Couturier - Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett - Morgan Frost - Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Scott Laughton - Ryan Poehling - Garnet Hathaway
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae - Rasmus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Sam Ersson
Utah Hockey Club
Things have been rather average for Utah over the last eight games. They have alternated wins and losses to all eight, most recently coming up with a 5-2 win over Buffalo on Saturday night. They are on the back half as well, so both team will be playing under the same circumstances.
It's unsurprising to see Clayton Keller leading the team with 23 points. It's been a rather slow start for him goal-wise as he has just one goal in his last 15 games. Keller had six goals in his first 10 games. He does have 12 points in 12 games against the Flyers. The 21-year-old Dylan Guenther has continued to blossom, up to 10 goals after posting a career-high 18 last season. He's also 14 points off a new high in goals as well. After being taken ninth overall in 2021, the Coyotes are reaping the rewards of his development over the last two plus seasons.
Jaxson Stauber will make his second start of the season. His first was a very impressive shutout of the Golden Knights on Nov. 30. The undrafted goaltender appeared with Chicago in 2022-23 and posted a 2.81 GAA and a .911 SV%. Stauber won five of his six games that season. He will be tough to beat.
Utah Projected Roster
Clayton Keller - Barrett Hayton - Nick Schmaltz
Jack McBain - Logan Cooley - Dylan Guenther
Lawson Crouse - Nick Bjugstad - Matias Maccelli
Alexander Kerfoot - Kevin Stenlund - Michael Carcone
Mikhail Sergachev - Olli Maatta
Ian Cole - Michael Kesselring
Juuso Valimaki - Robert Bortuzzo
Jaxson Stauber
When, Where, and How to Watch
Time: 7:30 PM
Where: Wells Fargo Center
Watch: NBCSP
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Live Stream: FuboTv
FuboTV has live NHL games on ESPN in which you can stream from your phone, television, and all your favorite devices. This is a service that broadcasts live TV over the internet, no cable required. Watch your favorite teams, network shows, news, and movies on 100+ channels. Plus on-demand entertainment including full TV