Flyers
Flyers-Avalanche: Game 2 Preview
I have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Co-host of the YWT Podcast. I also am Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey. I graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.
All posts by Kevin DursoPublished06 Oct 2018
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
After an impressive opening night win in Vegas, the Flyers are back to take on the Colorado Avalanche in the second game of the season.
Both teams opened the season with wins on Thursday after having similar paths to the playoffs a season ago. It also closes out a two-game stretch in the West to open the season for the Flyers on the road.
Game time is set for 9 p.m.
Team Leaders (2017-18)
| Philadelphia Flyers | GP | G | A | P | Colorado Avalanche | GP | G | A | P |
| Wayne Simmonds | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Carl Soderberg | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Robert Hagg | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Mikko Rantanen | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Jake Voracek | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Nathan MacKinnon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Scott Laughton | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | J.T. Compher | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oskar Lindblom | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Patrik Nemeth | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Player to Watch | |
| 17 Wayne Simmonds | 29 Nathan MacKinnon |
| Last 5 Games: 2 G, 0 A, 2 P, +2 | Last 5 Games: 1 G, 0 A, 1 P, +1 |
| Goalie Matchup | |
| 37 Brian Elliott | 1 Semyon Varlamov |
| 1-0-0, 2.03 GAA, .920 SV% | 1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .952 SV% |
If not for Brian Elliott, the Flyers may not have survived the first-period onslaught that Vegas threw at them. Elliott was excellent in his first game of the season and gets another start on Saturday.
The Avalanche got a strong performance in goal from Semyon Varlamov and have chosen to keep the lineup the same for Saturday's game. Varlamov has a 3-2-1 and a 3.00 GAA in seven career starts against the Flyers.
Flyers Projected Lineup
Injuries: Michal Neuvirth, Corban Knight, Alex Lyon
Scratches: Jordan Weal, Dale Weise, Radko Gudas
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 28 Claude Giroux | 14 Sean Couturier | 11 Travis Konecny |
| 23 Oskar Lindblom | 19 Nolan Patrick | 93 Jake Voracek |
| 25 James van Riemsdyk | 24 Mikhail Vorobyev | 17 Wayne Simmonds |
| 21 Scott Laughton | 15 Jori Lehtera | 12 Michael Raffl |
| Defense | ||
| 9 Ivan Provorov | 53 Shayne Gostisbehere | |
| 6 Travis Sanheim | 26 Christian Folin | |
| 8 Robert Hagg | 47 Andrew MacDonald | |
| Goalie | ||
| 37 Brian Elliott |
Lineup Notes
The Flyers will swap out defensemen as Christian Folin makes his Flyers debut and Radko Gudas sits as a healthy scratch. Anthony Stolarz cleared waivers and was sent back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, meaning Calvin Pickard will serve as backup.
Avalanche Projected Lineup
Injuries: Sven Andrighetto, Patrik Nemeth
Scratches: Conor Timmins
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 92 Gabriel Landeskog | 29 Nathan MacKinnon | 96 Mikko Rantanen |
| 13 Alexander Kerfoot | 17 Tyson Jost | 22 Colin Wilson |
| 83 Matt Nieto | 34 Carl Soderberg | 57 Gabriel Bourque |
| 15 Sheldon Dries | 37 J.T. Compher | 11 Matt Calvert |
| Defense | ||
| 49 Samuel Girard | 6 Erik Johnson | |
| 28 Ian Cole | 4 Tyson Barrie | |
| 16 Nikita Zadorov | 44 Mark Barberio | |
| Goalie | ||
| 1 Semyon Varlamov |
Game Notes
- Power Play: Flyers (T-11th, T-5th on road), Avalanche (T-4th, T-2nd at home)
- Penalty Kill: Flyers (T-1st, T-1st on road), Avalanche (T-1st, T-1st at home)
- Recent History vs. Avalanche
- Nov. 4, 2017 – Avalanche 5, Flyers 4 F/SO (at PHI)
- March 28, 2018 – Flyers 2, Avalanche 1 (at COL)
- Flyers Leaders vs. Avalanche
- Claude Giroux – 12 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 P
- James van Riemsdyk – 13 GP, 6 G, 6 A, 12 P
- Shayne Gostisbehere – 5 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 P
- Brian Elliott – 13 GP, 9-2-2, 2.10 GAA, .910 SV%
- Milestone Watch
- Sean Couturier is playing in his 500th NHL game.
Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
