Flyers-Bruins: Game 69 Preview

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers have entered the final 14 games of the regular season, and while it really is no question that they will be part of the playoffs, there is plenty at stake.

For one, the Flyers will enter Tuesday's game looking for their 10th straight win. They will face the Boston Bruins, the team ranked at the top of the NHL standings. It is hardly the first time the Flyers have gone against the top team in the league this season. And finally, with Washington's shootout loss on Monday, a win of any kind will put the Flyers in sole possession of first place.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P Boston Bruins GP G A P
Travis Konecny 65 24 37 61 David Pastrnak 69 48 46 94
Sean Couturier 68 22 37 59 Brad Marchand 69 28 58 86
Jake Voracek 68 12 44 56 Patrice Bergeron 60 30 25 55
Claude Giroux 68 21 32 53 Torey Krug 61 9 40 49
Kevin Hayes  68 23 18 41 David Krejci 60 13 29 42
 
Player to Watch
14 Sean Couturier 63 Brad Marchand
Last 5 Games: 3 G, 1 A, 4 P, +3 Last 5 Games: 3 G, 4 A, 7 P, E
 
Sean Couturier has had some big games against top teams, but the bigger reason to watch the Flyers top-line center is because of his task in trying to shut down the Boston top line centered by Patrice Bergeron. It will take quite the effort to keep that line quiet for most of the night and position the Flyers to win their 10th straight game.
 
Who can forget the way the last meeting between the Flyers and Bruins ended? Brad Marchand had a chance to answer in the shootout, over-skated the puck and played it, resulting in the end of the shootout without a shot getting on goal. Marchand has been on a roll lately, though, bringing a 12-game points streak into Tuesday's game. He has five goals and 12 assists in that time. 
 
Projected Goalie Matchup
79 Carter Hart 40 Tuukka Rask
42 GP, 24-12-3, 2.43 GAA, .913 SV% 40 GP, 25-8-6, 2.18 GAA, .926 SV%

The Flyers needed Carter Hart to be spectacular on Saturday and he was, making 38 saves in a 3-1 win over Buffalo. Hart has made both starts agains the Bruins this season and while both have been wins, the last one was certainly a struggle in the first half of the game. Hart will be back in goal on Tuesday as the Flyers push for the top spot in the Metro once again.

Tuukka Rask was on the hook for the loss, allowing four goals on 24 shots to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Rask got back to his winning ways after two rough starts by shutting out the Islanders on Feb. 29 and following it up with a win over the Lightning a week ago on March 3. In his two starts prior, he had allowed 10 goals on 57 shots. This is Rask's first start against the Flyers this season.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: James van Riemsdyk (broken right hand, out indefinitely), Nolan Patrick (migrane disorder, out indefinitely), Oskar Lindblom (Ewing's sarcoma, out for season)

Scratches: Phil Myers

Left Wing Center Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux 14 Sean Couturier 93 Jake Voracek
49 Joel Farabee 13 Kevin Hayes 11 Travis Konecny
21 Scott Laughton 38 Derek Grant 18 Tyler Pitlick
12 Michael Raffl 44 Nate Thompson 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 15 Matt Niskanen  
6 Travis Sanheim 61 Justin Braun  
8 Robert Hagg 53 Shayne Gostisbehere  
Goalie    
79 Carter Hart 37 Brian Elliott  

Lineup Notes

Shayne Gostisbehere will be in the lineup for the first time since Feb. 6. Phil Myers is scratched as he is dealing with an injury.

Bruins Projected Lineup

Injuries: Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, Kevan Miller

Scratches: Anders Bjork, Anton Blidh

Left Wing Center Right Wing
63 Brad Marchand 37 Patrice Bergeron 88 David Pastrnak
21 Nick Ritchie 46 David Krejci 28 Ondrej Kase
52 Sean Kuraly 13 Charlie Coyle 74 Jake DeBrusk
20 Joakim Nordstrom 26 Par Lindholm 14 Chris Wagner
Defense    
33 Zdeno Chara 73 Charlie McAvoy  
48 Matt Grzelcyk 79 Jeremy Lauzon  
27 John Moore 75 Connor Clifton  
Goalie    
40 Tuukka Rask 41 Jaroslav Halak  

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (12th), Bruins (2nd)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (T-10th), Bruins (3rd)
  • Recent History vs. Bruins
    • Nov. 10, 2019 – Flyers 3, Bruins 2 (F/SO) (at BOS)
    • Jan. 13, 2020 – Flyers 6, Bruins 5 (F/SO) (at PHI)
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Bruins
    • Jake Voracek – 30 GP, 6 G, 21 A, 27 P
    • Claude Giroux – 38 GP, 10 G, 19 A, 29 P
    • Travis Sanheim – 7 GP, 3 G, 2 A, 5 P
    • Carter Hart – 4 GP, 4-0-0, 2.85 GAA, .905 SV%
  • Milestone Watch
    • Travis Sanheim will play in his 200th game tonight.

Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic/97.3 ESPN

YWT: The Philadelphia Flyers Podcast

Go to top button