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Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (9-6-3) are home on Thursday to take on Jim Montgomery’s St. Louis Blues (6-9-5). The Flyers are a rested team. After going through a stretch of three games in four nights. Philly has had off the last four nights including team-wide off days on Sunday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Blues gained one point from a 3-2 road overtime loss in Toronto on Tuesday.
Thursday’s game marks the conclusion of the brief two-game season series between the Flyers and Blues. Last Friday, the Flyers overcame multiple deficits to ultimately defeat the St. Louis Blues via shootout, 6-5 (1-0), at Enterprise Center on Friday night. The Flyers trailed by scores of 1-0, 3-1, and 5-3 but came back each time to knot the score.
The trio of Owen Tippett (one goal, three assists), Trevor Zegras (two goals, one assist) and Christian Dvorak (two goals, one assist) had a monster game for the Flyers. Later, after being denied on an overtime penalty shot, Zegras netted the only successful shootout attempt for either side.
The Blues sandwiched an early first-period tally by Jordan Kyrou (6th) and mid-period tally by Jimmy Snuggerud (5th) around a Zegras goal (5th). St. Louis took a 2-1 lead to the first intermission. Justin Faulk (4th) extended the Blues’ lead to 3-1 shortly before the seven-minute mark of the middle frame. However, the Flyers struck back for goals by Dvorak (4th) and Zegras’ second goal of the game (6th of the season) to get the game tied at 3-3 heading into the third period.
The Blues forged a 5-3 lead in the third period on an opening minute goal by Dylan Holloway (5th) and a Robert Thomas goal (3rd) before the frame was even five minutes old. The resilient Flyers pushed for Dvorak’s second goal of the game (5th of the season) and a tying goal by Tippett (6th).
Friday was a nightmarish game for the goalies. Samuel Ersson made just 12 saves on 17 shots before going 3-for-3 in the shootout. Jordan Binningtom stopped 26 of 31 Philadelphia shots on net before he went 1-for-2 in the shootout.
Unfortunately, the good feeling from a five-game point streak (3-0-2) vanished the next night in Dallas. Playing an excellent Stars team on tired legs, the Flyers got thoroughly outplayed in an ugly 5-1 loss that could have been much more.
Thursday’s game is the Flyers’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer game.
Jason Myrtetus will drop the ceremonial opening faceoff before Thursday’s game. Jason bravely went public last year with his battle against colorectal cancer. He’s been winning his fight, although one is not truly “done” with periodic scans and doctor appointments. Additionally, goaltenders Samuel Ersson and Dan Vladar will wearing special Hockey Fights Cancer masks during warmups designed by local kids battling cancer.
Where to watch
Time and broadcast: 7:00 p.m. ET on NBCSP
Listen online: FlyersRadio 24/7
Four keys to the game for Philadelphia: click here
In-game watch party (Maher Media): click here
Projected Flyers Lineup
The lines below are based on Wednesday’s practice at the FTC in Voorhees. Most notably, the Noah Cates line was split up at least temporarily.
Trevor Zegras- Christian Dvorak – Owen Tippett
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Travis Konecny
Matvei Michkov – Sean Couturier – Bobby Brink
Nikita Grenbenkin- Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae – Noah Juulsen
Dan Vladar
[Samuel Ersson]
Projected Scratches: Nicolas Deslauriers (healthy), Egor Zamula (healthy).
Farm Report: Phantoms Down Amerks
John Snowden’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms (10-4-1-1) skated to a 4-2 home win on Wednesday over the Rochester Americans (10-7-0) at PPL Center in Allentown.
The Phantoms lost the special teams battle (0-for-4 on the power play, 3-for-5 on the PK) but won the game at even strength. Jacob Gaucher (2nd goal of the season, 3rd assist), recent arrival Christian Kyrou (2nd goal, 9th assist), Denver Barkey (6th), and Zayde Wisdom (ENG, 4th) led the way offensively for the Phantoms. Carl Grundström chipped in his 6th and 7th assists for Lehigh Valley. Goaltender Aleksei Kolosov turned back 23 of 25 shots to top counterpart Devon Levi (18 saves on 21 shots).
Pelle Lindbergh documentaries: updates
There is still time to see Charlie Minn’s Pelle Lindbergh documentary, The Swede of Philadelphia, before it finishes its run of showings at local AMC theaters in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas. The film runs through the remainder of this week.
Meanwhile, the bilingual Swedish-produced documentary on Lindbergh’s life and passing, also recently came out. It features Pelle’s fiancee Kerstin, teammates Thomas Eriksson, Bernie Parent (also featured prominently in the Minn documentary) and more.
There’s a third Pelle documentary, an Amercan production from veteran reporter Brett Forrest, also in the works. Forrest’s production, with filming locations both in the United States and Sweden, will be closer in style and presentation to the Swedish production, as I understand it.
Welcome, the Mens and Boys Store
Hockey Hot Stove is proud to announce the addition of the Mens and Boys Store of Warminster, PA, to our growing family of Flyers and Phantoms content sponsors. The shop traces its history back to the venerable Fleets clothing store of Philadelphia at Castor and Magee. It has been serving the formal and casual wear needs of the community for generations.
I purchase all of my game day and Flyers Alumni event suits, ties, dress shirts and casual wear from Bonnie at the store. I’ve been a regular client going back to its previous location. When you stop in, tell the staff you heard about them through Hockey Hot Stove.
By the way, the store has a uniquen Flyers-related clientele lineage. Years ago, Fleets often served the clothing needs of Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Firebirds players. Jack Lang and Fleets were the local stores of choice for the team. To this day, the current Mens and Boys store keeps a color photo of the late Ray Schultz (Dave “the Hammer” Schultz’s older brother). Recently, I saw a 1975 photo of Dave Schultz and a rookie Mel Bridgman in the original shop.
Let’s Go Flyers