By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor
The Flyers kicked off the new year with another edition of Flyers After Dark. It ultimately featured too many of the habits from 2021 that they are trying to break as a team, bringing their seven-game points streak to a close.
The four-game road trip out of the holiday break ends with one more game on the West coast on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, albeit with many players out due to COVID protocol on both sides, including both team captains, a budding young star for Anaheim, and the Flyers other top-pairing defenseman.
Game time is 10 p.m.
Team Leaders
Philadelphia Flyers | GP | G | A | P | Anaheim Ducks | GP | G | A | P |
Claude Giroux | 32 | 11 | 18 | 29 | Troy Terry | 34 | 18 | 13 | 31 |
Cam Atkinson | 32 | 12 | 11 | 23 | Trevor Zegras | 30 | 8 | 17 | 25 |
Travis Konecny | 32 | 5 | 14 | 19 | Sonny Milano | 30 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
Sean Couturier | 29 | 6 | 11 | 17 | Ryan Getzlaf | 29 | 2 | 20 | 22 |
Joel Farabee | 25 | 10 | 4 | 14 | Kevin Shattenkirk | 35 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
Carter Hart is expected to get the start for the Flyers. Hart makes his return to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 16 when he took the shootout loss in Montreal. He was out for the final game prior to the holiday break with a non-COVID illness, then entered COVID protocol out of the break.
John Gibson starts for the Ducks. Gibson is currently in a personal five-game losing streak, most recently allowing three goals on 35 shots in a loss to Colorado. His last win came on Dec. 9. That is also Gibson's only win since the start of December. He had a 1-2-4 record in the month and added another regulation loss on Sunday.
Projected Lineups
Flyers Scratches: Claude Giroux (COVID protocol), Ivan Provorov (COVID protocol), Sean Couturier (COVID protocol), Nick Seeler (COVID protocol), Jackson Cates (COVID protocol), Ryan Ellis (injury), Nate Thompson (injury), Derick Brassard (injury)
- Flyers: Scott Laughton makes his return to the Flyers lineup in addition to Hart. The team added Jackson Cates and Nick Seeler to COVID protocol on Monday, and also added Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov prior to the game on Tuesday. Cam York will come in to make his season debut for Provorov. The team can also call-up Gerry Mayhew from the Taxi Squad to take Giroux's place. Cates was already expected to come out of the lineup for Laughton.
- Ducks: The Ducks only had 10 available forwards at the morning skate. They may make a last-minute call-up, but their AHL squad is also dealing with COVID cases, so they are limited in options.
Game Notes
- Power Play: Flyers (26th), Ducks (4th)
- Penalty Kill: Flyers (13th), Ducks (3rd)
- Recent History vs. Ducks
- Dec. 29, 2019 – Flyers 2, Ducks 1 (F/OT) (at ANA)
- Dec. 17, 2019 – Flyers 4, Ducks 1 (at PHI)
- Flyers Leaders vs. Ducks
- Claude Giroux – 19 GP, 3 G, 16 A, 19 P
- Keith Yandle – 47 GP, 9 G, 27 A, 36 P
- James van Riemsdyk – 14 GP, 0 G, 9 A, 9 P
- Carter Hart – 2 GP, 2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .959 SV%
- Milestone Watch
- Travis Konecny needs one goal to reach 100 for his career.
Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: Flyers Broadcast Network