Flyers

Flyers-Maple Leafs: Game 15 Preview

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Flyers look to bounce back north of the border

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(Kate Frese, Sports Talk Philly)

By Bill Minchin, Sports Talk Philly staff writer

The Philadelphia Flyers (6-6-2) head north of the border for a battle with Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs (5-5-3). This is the first of three meetings between the two clubs and first of two in Toronto. Game time is 7:00
 
Last season the Flyers went 1-1-1 against Toronto with the lone win coming at the Air Canada Centre. 

 
Flyers Leaders GP G A P Maple Leafs Leaders GP G A P
Claude Giroux 14 4 11 154 William Nylander 13 4 8 12
Jake Voracek 14 6 9

15

Auston Matthews 13 6 5 11
Wayne Simmonds 14 6 6 12 James van Riemsdyk 13 4 6 10
Mark Streit 14 3 7 10 Mitchell Marner 13 4 6 10
Shayne Gostisbehere 14 3 6 9 Nazem Kadri 13 6 3 9
 
Player to Watch
9 Ivan Provorov 34 Auston Matthews
Last 5 Games: 0 G, 1 A, 1 P, -2 Last 5 Games: 0 G, 1 A, 1 P,-4
 
Toronto is not the only team with some exciting rookies n this game. While Travis Konecny has rightfully gotten praise for his play, Ivan Provorov has improved with each game. The nineteen year old defenseman has had struggles but all rookies do especially at that age.  Since playing arguably  his worst game as pro in Carolina, Provorov has steadied the ship. 
He has been close on numerous occasions to getting his first NHL goal. In a wide open offense game like this could be, tonight might just be the night he does it. 
 
Auston Matthews bursted onto the scene scoring four goals in his first NHL game. Since then, the first overall pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft, has cooled down somewhat. He has just two goals and five assists since that opening night. 
 
A talent like Matthews will not be held down long and thinking so is flirting with fire. He will need to be accounted for each and every time he is on the ice.
 
 
Goalie Matchup
35 Steve Mason 31 Frederik Andersen
2-4-2, 3.23 GAA, .888 SV% 5-3-3, 3.41 GAA, .897 SV%

Steve Mason gets the start tonight for the Flyers. Mason took the 3-2 shoot out loss to Detroit on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Mason played a good game Tuesday night in his first action in over a week.

Frederik Andersen will be back between the pipes for the Maple Leafs. Andersen has is in his first season with Toronto replacing former starter Jonathon Bernier. The Danish netminder has proven to be a valuable number one goalie so far in his NHL career and when he is on can be tough to beat.

 

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches:  Andrew MacDonald, Nick Schultz, Boyd Gordon, Chris VandeVelde

Left Wing Center Right Wing
10 Brayden Schenn 28 Claude Giroux 17 Wayne Simmonds
11 Travis Konecny 14 Sean Couturier 93 Jake Voracek
12 Michael Raffl 25 Nick Cousins 22 Dale Weise
24 Matt Read 78 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 13 Roman Lyubimov
Defense    
53 Shayne Gostisbehere 15 Michael Del Zotto  
9 Ivan Provorov 32 Mark Streit  
3 Radko Gudas 23 Brandon Manning  
Goalie    
35 Steve Mason    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (2nd, 6th on road), Maple Leafs (7th, 21st at home)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (22nd, 22nd on road), Maple Leafs (9th, 19th at home)
  • The Flyers and Maple Leafs have been infrequent trade partners however the teams did trade Bernie Parent, twice, and most recently traded picks which allowed Philadelphia to draft Travis Konecny

Where to Watch
TV: TCN
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic