Flyers

Flyers-Senators: Game 36 Preview

By
Kevin Durso
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Kevin Durso Sports Editor

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 Durso
Sports Editor

Published21 Dec 2019

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By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor Flyers-Senators: Game 36 Preview

The last time the Flyers met the Senators, it was a spirited and physical game that featured a late Flyers goal to lift them to victory. Some bad blood between the two teams surfaced late, setting the tone for the next meeting.

The rematch two weeks later has been highly anticipated, as the Flyers hit the road to face the Senators for the final time this season.

Game time is at 7 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers GP G A P Ottawa Senators GP G A P
Travis Konecny 32 11 21 32 Anthony Duclair 36 20 8 28
Sean Couturier 35 9 19 28 Jean-Gabriel Pageau 36 16 10 26
Claude Giroux 35 11 13 24 Thomas Chabot 36 3 19 22
Jake Voracek 35 7 17 24 Brady Tkachuk 36 12 9 21
Ivan Provorov  35 8 14 22 Connor Brown 36 6 15 21
 
Player to Watch
25 James van Riemsdyk 10 Anthony Duclair
Last 5 Games: 4 G, 1 A, 5 P, +1 Last 5 Games: 5 G, 1 A, 6 P, -2
 
James van Riemsdyk has been the hottest Flyer of late. He scored twice in Thursday win over Buffalo and has four goals in the last five games and six goals since Nov. 29. With van Riemsdyk elevated to a higher role, he has started to get some bounces going his way and picking up the production.
 
Two weeks ago, Anthony Duclair scored two goals against the Flyers. In the six games since then, Duclair has added seven goals in six games and a total of nine points in that time. 
 
Projected Goalie Matchup
37 Brian Elliott 35 Marcus Hogberg
16 GP, 7-4-2, 2.96 GAA, .904 SV% 4 GP, 1-1-1, 2.93 GAA, .906 SV%

Brian Elliott gets the start for the Flyers on Saturday night in Ottawa. Elliott suffered the loss against the Jets last Sunday, allowing six goals on 17 shots before being pulled for the start of the third period. Elliott has lost both starts in the month of December after closing November on a three-game winning streak. 

Marcus Hogberg gets another start in goal after picking up his first career win against the Nashville Predators on Thursday, making 33 saves on 37 shots in the process. This is the third different goalie the Flyers will face against the Senators this season. Craig Anderson, who exited the last meeting two weeks ago with injury, is close to returning and will serve as the backup. Anders Nilsson is now out with injury. He defeated the Flyers on Nov. 15.

Flyers Projected Lineup

Injuries: Scott Laughton (groin, day-to-day), Michael Raffl (broken finger, out 4 weeks from Dec. 3), Nolan Patrick (migrane disorder, out indefinitely), Oskar Lindblom (Ewing's sarcoma, out for season)

Scratches: Robert Hagg (healthy), Joel Farabee (suspension)

Left Wing Center Right Wing
28 Claude Giroux 14 Sean Couturier 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk 13 Kevin Hayes 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
10 Andy Andreoff 48 Morgan Frost 93 Jake Voracek
18 Tyler Pitlick 24 Mikhail Vorobyev 44 Chris Stewart
Defense    
9 Ivan Provorov 15 Matt Niskanen  
6 Travis Sanheim 61 Justin Braun  
53 Shayne Gostisbehere 5 Phil Myers  
Goalie    
37 Brian Elliott 79 Carter Hart  

Lineup Notes

Chris Stewart re-enters the lineup, largely in light of how the last meeting between the two teams went. David Kase was sent down to the Phantoms on Friday. The rest of the lineup projects to remain the same, but both Matt Niskanen and Phil Myers will be game-time decisions due to illness, so there could be other changes coming if one or both is not able to play.

Senators Projected Lineup

Injuries: Ron Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev, Dylan DeMelo, Scott Sabourin, Marian Gaborik

Scratches: Mikkel Boedker

Left Wing Center Right Wing
7 Brady Tkachuk 44 Jean-Gabriel Pageau 28 Connor Brown
13 Nick Paul 71 Chris Tierney 10 Anthony Duclair
90 Vladislav Namestnikov 51 Artem Anisimov 63 Tyler Ennis
21 Logan Brown 64 J.C. Beaudin 36 Colin White
Defense    
72 Thomas Chabot 29 Cody Goloubef  
74 Mark Borowiecki 26 Erik Brannstrom  
58 Maxime Lajoie 39 Andreas Englund  
Goalie    
35 Marcus Hogberg 41 Craig Anderson  

Game Notes

  • Power Play: Flyers (16th), Senators (31st)
  • Penalty Kill: Flyers (11th), Senators (12th)
  • Recent History vs. Senators
    • Nov. 15, 2019 – Senators 2, Flyers 1 (at OTT)
    • Dec. 7, 2019 – Flyers 4, Senators 3 (at PHI)
  • Flyers Leaders vs. Senators
    • Jake Voracek – 29 GP, 12 G, 15 A, 27 P
    • James van Riemsdyk – 37 GP, 14 G, 16 A, 30 P
    • Shayne Gostisbehere – 14 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 P
    • Sean Couturier – 26 GP, 9 G, 9 A, 18 P
    • Brian Elliott – 8 GP, 5-0-2, 1.94 GAA, .931 SV%
    • Carter Hart – 2 GP, 1-1-0, 2.59 GAA, .898 SV% 
  • Milestone Watch
    • Shayne Gostisbehere needs two points to reach 200 for his career.

Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia+
Radio: 93.3 WMMR