Flyers

Flyers-Canucks: Game 59 Preview

By
Bill Minchin
Author photo
Bill Minchin Sports Editor

All posts by Bill Minchin
Sports Editor

Published19 Feb 2017

Disclosure
We sometimes use affiliate links in our content, when clicking on those we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

1-12-2017_FlyersvsCanucks_1st_credKateFrese-22 (1)

(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)

By Bill Minchin, Sports Talk Philly writer

The Philadelphia Flyers (27-24-7) close out a three game western Canada road trip tonight as they visit the Vancouver Canucks (26-27-6).  This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. Game time is 10pm.

Philadelphia has lost each of the first two games on the road trip most recently falling 6-3 in Edmonton on Thursday night. The Canucks defeated Calgary 2-1 in overtime last night.

Flyers Leaders GP G A P Canucks Leaders GP G A P
Jake Voracek 58 14 34 48 Bo Horvat 58 18 21 39
Claude Giroux 58 12 30 42 Henrik Sedin 59 12 23 35
Wayne Simmonds 58 24 17 41 Daniel Sedin 59 12 21 33
Brayden Schenn 55 17 20 37 Brandon Sutter 50 15 12 27
Ivan Provorov 58 5 18 23 Sven Baertschi 50 13 14 27
 
 
 
 
Player to Watch
25 Nick Cousin 33 Henrik Sedin
Last 5 Games: 1 G, 0 A, 1 P, -1 Last 5 Games: 1 G, 0 A, 1 P, -6
 
 

Nick Cousins  has had himself a pretty solid two games on the current road trip. Cousins will never light up te scoreboard so if that's what you are expecting you are going to be disappointed. Cousins did score the Flyers lone goal in Calgary on Wednesday however and was general pain the Flames side all night. That is what he does best. HE will give max effort on every shift and has been able to get teams to take penalties against him.

 
Henrik Sedin is sure fire Hall of Famer when his playing days finally come to a close. Sedin has been the best player in Vancouver for a decade or longer. His numbers are down in recent years as he has entered the twilight of an outstanding career but the 36 yr old can still make plays and will need to be accounted for all night if the Flyers expect to be successful. 
 
Goalie Matchup
35 Steve Mason

30 Ryan Miller
16-17-6, 2.90 GAA, .900 SV% 16-16-3, 2.60 GAA, .918 SV%

Steve Mason gets the start again for Philadelphia. Mason has not played in well over a week as Michal Neuvirth has played well and coach Hakstol has tried to ride a hot hand. This is an important start for Mason. He needs to have a great performance in order to get more time between the pipes down the stretch.

Ryan Miller made 35 saves on 36 shotsin last night's 2-1 overtime win over Calgary. Miller, like Sedin, knows his best best days in the rear view mirror but at any time can steal games for th Canucks. If Miller does in fact get the nod tonight, the Flyers are best to get shots on him early in hopes he will show some fatigue after last night.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Scratches: Jordan Weal, Travis Konecny, Micheal Del Zotto

Left Wing Center Right Wing
10 Brayden Schenn 28 Claude Giroux 17 Wayne Simmonds
22 Dale Weise 14 Sean Couturier 93 Jakub Voracek
12 Michael Raffl 25 Nick Cousins 24 Matt Read
76 Chris VandeVelde 78 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 13 Roman Lyubimov
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 47 Andrew MacDonald  
32 Mark Streit 53 Shayne Gostisbehere  
23 Brandon Manning 3 Radko Gudas  
Goalie    
35 Steve Mason    

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (11th, 10th on road), Canucks (28th, 25h at home)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (18th, 23rd on road), Canucks (24th, 25th at home) 
  • Recent History vs. Vancouver
    • 1/12/17: Philadelphia skated away with a 5-4 shootout victory at the Wells Fargo Center in the only other meeting between the clubs this season. Michal Neuvirth earned the win in relief of Steve Mason stopping all 14 shots he faced in the third period and overtime. Claude Giroux scored the lone goal in the shoot out. 

TV: CSN
Radio: 97.5 The FANatic