One Flyers game to look forward to in 2014 is against the LA Kings on Feb. 1, as the Flyers face their former captain and leading scorer for the first time since they hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2012. Photo Courtesy of SportingNews.com
Flyers Five is a segment that will appear weekly on Flyerdelphia, as well as on Sports Source Wednesday nights on Cavalier Radio, 89.1 WYBF-FM.
The 2013 portion of the Flyers' schedule is quickly coming to a close. With that in mind, here are five games to look forward to in the 2014 portion of the schedule, in chronological order:
Feb. 1: Flyers at Los Angeles Kings – For the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2012, the Flyers will face Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. With 27 and 18 points respectively, Richards and Carter are top-five scoring leaders for the Kings. For what it's worth, the game also marks Asst. GM Ron Hextall's return to Los Angeles, and the Kings will also play in Philly on March 24, marking Carter's first game back at Wells Fargo Center since being traded.
Feb. 8: Flyers vs. Calgary Flames – This will be the Orange and Black's last game until the end of February while the league shuts down for the Olympic break. The rebuilding Flames — who recently fired GM Jay Feaster — visit for the first time since Nov. 26, 2010, a game famous for a questionable implementation of the "Sean Avery Rule" on Chris Pronger in overtime, and notable quotes to the press afterward.
March 15/16: Flyers vs. Penguins/at Penguins — One of the Flyers' most critical weekends comes midway through March, as they take on the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in a home-and-home series. While the Pens have established themselves as the frontrunners of the Metropolitan Division this year, it will be a significant test for the Flyers as the season begins to wind down and the playoff picture continues to unfold.
March 22: Flyers vs. St. Louis Blues – At the start of this season, I predicted the Blues to win the Stanley Cup. At 23-7-4, the Blues are establishing themselves as a contender, yet still find themselves in second place in the Central Division (behind Chicago). The Flyers are 3-6-1 vs. Western teams thus far, with two of those wins coming against teams in the Central. This will also be the fourth time the Flyers face former coach Ken Hitchcock since firing him in 2006, currently holding a 2-1-0 record against him since.
April 13: Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes – The Flyers close their season against a divisional opponent, as they typically do. The Flyers and 'Canes have been neck-and-neck in division standings this season, though that is subject to change as the season continues. Will this be just a tune-up for the Orange and Black before embarking on a playoff journey, or will this be a team that won't be playing until next October?
Rob Riches is a contributer for Flyerdelphia. You can follow him on Twitter @Riches61.
