Writer: Kevin Durso

Game 37 Preview: Flyers close out road trip in LA

Kevin Durso Sports Editor

Published02 Jan 2016

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It hasn't been a pretty start to the post-Christmas break for the Flyers, and with the new year upon us, the holiday festivities are completely over. The drive toward the playoffs is on.

Despite the two losses, the Flyers remain locked in a tight race for a playoff spot. It is a fine line. The Flyers are just six points ahead of the NHL's worst team by points, the Columbus Blue Jackets, but they also sit just six points out of a playoff spot.

One of the benefits for the Flyers is their limited schedule leading up to and following the break. Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Kings will be just their fifth in the last two weeks, which leaves them tied for the lowest amount of games played in the East this season, 36, matching only the Toronto Maple Leafs. Of the teams the Flyers are chasing, both in the Metropolitan Division and for the East's wild card spots, six of the eight teams have played two more games than the Flyers.

The Flyers and Kings face off from Staples Center on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Flyers Leaders	GP	G	A	P	Kings Leaders	GP	G	A	P
Claude Giroux	36	12	17	29	Tyler Toffoli	37	18	12	30
Jake Voracek	36	4	20	24	Jeff Carter	34	11	17	28
Wayne Simmonds	36	9	11	20	Anze Kopitar	37	10	18	28
Brayden Schenn	34	7	8	15	Milan Lucic	37	11	12	23
Shayne Gostisbehere	20	6	8	14	Drew Doughty	37	6	17	23

Player to Watch
17 Wayne Simmonds	73 Tyler Toffoli
Last 5 Games: 2 G, 2 A, 4 P, +3	Last 5 Games: 6 G, 2 A, 8 P, +6

In a stretch of games that really haven't been good at all for the Flyers, Wayne Simmonds has been a solid and consistent part of the team all season. Another things about Simmonds is that he tends to really bring it against his former team, especially on the trips back to LA. In six games against the Kings, Simmonds has two goals and one assist.

He wasn't a top pick for the scoring races this season by any stretch, but Tyler Toffoli has really emerged as a top scoring threat in the league. His 18 goals have him seventh in the NHL and he leads the Kings in both goals and points (30). His ridiculous plus-22 rating for the season is second in the league.

Goalie Matchup
30 Michal Neuvirth	32 Jonathan Quick
8-4-2, 2.06 GAA, .937 SV%	21-9-1, 2.16 GAA, .922 SV%

Michal Neuvirth was expected to start on Wednesday in San Jose but was under the weather and a last-minute switch. After back-to-back 4-2 losses for Steve Mason, and a penalty kill that struggled with Mason in goal, Neuvirth is the logical option in goal to get his first chance to right the ship for the Flyers. It would be his first start in nearly three weeks.

When you're facing Jonathan Quick, you're getting on of the league's elites. His save percentage and goals against average may be outside of the Top 10 at the moment, but make no mistake, this is one of the NHL's most tested and consistent goalies. The Kings are among the best teams in the West again after a down season, and Quick is a big part with 21 wins in goal, second in the NHL.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches: Brandon Manning, Luke Schenn, Vincent Lecavalier

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
12 Michael Raffl	28 Claude Giroux	10 Brayden Schenn
93 Jake Voracek	14 Sean Couturier	17 Wayne Simmonds
76 Chris VandeVelde	78 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare	25 Ryan White
24 Matt Read	21 Scott Laughton	20 R.J. Umberger
Defense
32 Mark Streit	55 Nick Schultz
3 Radko Gudas	15 Michael Del Zotto
53 Shayne Gostisbehere	82 Evgeny Medvedev
Goalie
30 Michal Neuvirth

Despite an injury scare on Wednesday, Chris VandeVelde is expected to play on Saturday and Michael Del Zotto is expected to make a return to the lineup as well. Though not confirmed, Luke Schenn seems to be the odd man out of the lineup with the insertion of Del Zotto. The forward lines remain the same.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (T-27th, 16th on road), Kings (T-11th, T-23rd at home)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (24th, T-18th on road), Kings (7th, 12th at home)
Recent History vs. Kings
- Nov. 17, 2015 – The Flyers lost to the Kings, 3-2, in a shootout. Shayne Gostisbehere and Claude Giroux scored for the Flyers, who carried a lead into the final minute of regulation before Milan Lucic tied the game. Anze Kopitar scored the only goal of the shootout. Jonathan Quick made 36 saves. Steve Mason made 38 saves.
- Dec. 6, 2014 – The Flyers defeated the Kings, 2-1, in Los Angeles. Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds scored for the Flyers while Steve Mason made 37 saves in the win. Justin Williams scored the lone goal for the Kings. Jonathan Quick made 14 saves.
- Oct. 28, 2014 – The Flyers defeated the Kings, 3-2, in overtime. Michael Raffl and Chris VandeVelde scored first-period goals before the Kings would tie the game in the third on a goal by former Flyer Mike Richards. Tyler Toffoli also scored a shorthanded goal for the Kings in the first. In overtime, Brayden Schenn scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway. Ray Emery made 38 saves in the win. Jonathan Quick made 40 saves.
Flyers leaders vs. Kings