Flyers Game Day: Jan. 10 vs. Lightning

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Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (22-12-8) open a rare back-to-back home set against Jon Cooper’s Tampa Bay Lightning (26-13-3) on Saturday evening. Tampa brings an eight-game winning streak into Saturday’s match, while Nikita Kucherov holds an eight-game point streak.

Back on November 24 in Tampa, Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded a 20-save shutout in a 3-0 win over the Flyers. Brandon Hagel led the way offensively, scoring 5-on-5 and empty net goals. Hagel also assisted on an Anthony Cirelli tally. Nikita Kucherov assisted on all three Tampa goals.

The Flyers enter this game coming off a 2-1 overtime home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. A late third-period shorthanded goal by longtime Flyers center Scott Laughton forced overtime before Easton Cowan scored the winner in sudden death. Travis Konency notched the lone Flyers goal before leaving the game after the second period.

In Tampa’s last game, Cooper’s squad earned a 4-2 home win over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Hagel broke a 2-2 tie in the third period. Vasilevskiy made 31 saves to earn the win. Kucherov and Darren Raddysh had two assists apiece.

During Tampa’s eight-game winning streak, the Lightning have been firing on all cylinders: 4.75 goals per game, 2.75 goals against average. The power play has connected on 30.8 percent of their opportunities. Kucherov has an eight-game point streak with multi-point performances in each of the last seven games. Hagel has seven points (2g, 5a) in the last four games.

The Flyers are a banged-up team right now. The Flyers placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale (upper body) on Injured Reserve on Friday and recalled Adam Ginning (five NHL games this season) from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Either Noah Juulsen or Ginning will play in Drysdale’s absence.

Where to watch

Time and broadcast: 7:00 p.m. ET on NBCSP
Listen online: FlyersRadio 24/7
RAV4 keys to the game for Philadelphia: click here
In-game watch party (Maher Media): click here

Leading scorers: Flyers (through 42 games)

Trevor Zegras — 41 points (17g, 24a)
Travis Konecny — 38 points (14g, 24a)
Christian Dvorak — 27 points (9g, 18a)
Owen Tippett — 25 points (13g, 12a)
Noah Cates — 24 points (10g, 14a)
Sean Couturier — 24 points (5g, 19a)
Matvei Michkov — 23 points (9g, 14a)
Bobby Brink — 20 points (11g, 9a)
Travis Sanheim — 19 points (5, 14a)
Cam York — 18 points (3g, 15a) in 35 games
Jamie Drysdale — 18 points (3g, 15a)

Goaltender stats

Dan Vladar — 26 GP, 16-6-4, 2.35 GAA, .910 SV%
Samuel Ersson — 15 GP, 6-5-4, 3.09 GAA, .868 SV%

Injury report: Flyers

• Tyson Foerster (right arm surgery) is likely out for the rest of the season. He has a five-month estimated timetable from December.
• Jamie Drysdale (suspected concussion) is on IR, retroactive to January 6.
• Bobby Brink (upper body) left the Anaheim game after skating one shift in the first period. He is officially day-to-day.
• Travis Konecny (upper body) is day-to-day. He left the January 8 game against Toronto after the second period.

Projected Flyers Lineup

Brink and Drysdale both participated in Saturday’s morning skate in non-contact jerseys. Neither will play on Saturday and Drysdale is also ineligible for Monday’s game while on IR. However, it’s a hopeful sign that neither player is out long term. Konecny did not participate in the morning skate. Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov rotated wings on Christian Dvorak’s line. Michkov took more left wing reps.

Matvei Michkov – Christian Dvorak – Trevor Zegras
Denver Barkey – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Nikita Grebenkin – Noah Cates – Carl Grundstrom
Nicolas Deslauriers – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway

Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Rasmus Ristolainen
Emil Andrae – Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson
[Dan Vladar]

Scratches: Adam Ginning (healthy), Bobby Brink (upper body), Travis Konecny (upper body)

Flyers Opponent: Tampa Bay Lightning

Leading scorers (through 42 games)

Nikita Kucherov — 61 points (20g, 41a) in 38 games
Jake Guentzel — 44 points (19g, 25a)
Brandon Hagel — 38 points (20g, 18a) in 37 games
Darren Raddysh — 36 points (12g, 24a) in 36 games
Brayden Point — 26 points (10g, 16a) in 35 games
Anthony Cirelli — 25 points (12g, 13a) in 38 games
Oliver Bjorkstrand — 20 points (6g, 14a)
Yanni Gourde — 14 points (5g,9a)
J.J. Moser — 14 points (4g, 10a, +32)

Goaltender stats

Andrei Vasilevskiy — 26 GP, 17-7-2, 2.38 GAA, .914 SV%
Jonas Johansson — 17 GP, 9-6-1, 2.83 GAA, .894 SV%

Injury report: Lightning

• Veterar star defenseman Victor Hedman (elbow surgery) in on IR.
• Fellow veteran D-man Ryan McDonagh (undisclosed) is on IR.
• Defenseman Emil Lilleberg (undisclosed) in on IR.
• Winger Scott Sabourin (undisclosed) is on IR.

Projected lineup: Lightning

Gage Goncalves – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Jake Guentzel
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
Nick Paul – Dominic James – Oliver Bjorkstrand

J.J. Moser – Darren Raddysh
Charles-Edouard D’Astous – Erik Cernak
Declan Carlile — Maxwell Crozier

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Flyers Daily: Special Guest Danny Briere

The Flyers general manager joins host Jason Myrtetus to answer fan-submitted questions in this special midseason edition of Flyers Daily.