Photo Courtesy of Kate Frese
For the second time this season, the Flyers head to Consol Energy Center — a building that they've done so well in since its opening in 2010 — for a Wednesday matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m.
Despite a down season, the Orange and Black have played several of their best games this season against the Penguins, including a 3-2 come-back-from-behind effort in their most recent contest on Jan. 20 that saw Claude Giroux score the game-winner with 1:03 to play in overtime. Both teams also met on Oct. 22 — a game the Flyers won 5-3, with Mark Streit, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, R.J. Umberger, Matt Read and Sean Couturier providing the offense.
The Flyers (30-29-17) are also victorious in their last six games against the Penguins, and are 10-1-1 all-time at Consol Energy Center. The Penguins (42-23-11) haven't beaten the Orange and Black at the arena since March 24, 2013 — a 2-1 overtime win — and haven't won a regular-season home game against the Flyers since the 2011-12 season finale on April 7, 2012.
Streit is expected to return to the Flyers' lineup, after visiting his 99-year-old ill grandmother in Switzerland. Out for the Flyers will be Luke Schenn, who will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury.
The Pens are also set to be short defensively, as injury and restrictions in call-ups will leave them with just five eligible defensemen. A forward — speculated to be Daniel Winnik, Nick Spaling or Craig Adams — will step in on the blueline.
Steve Mason is expected to start in goal for the Flyers, in the perpetual search for his second road win of the season. The Penguins are expected to counter with Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Flyers also enter the game with the chance to keep the Penguins at 95 points, with the regular season winding down. The New York Islanders, who also stand at 95 points, and the Washington Capitals (who trail by just a point) are idle on Wednesday, and thus a Penguins win or overtime finish would push them ahead.
Game Notes
- Power Play: Flyers (4th, 13th on road), Penguins (8th, 5th at home)
- Penalty Kill: Flyers (29th, 29th on road), Penguins (2nd, T-7th at home)
Flyers scratches: Luke Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Andrew MacDonald
Flyers Projected Lineup
Line 1: Michael Raffl-Claude Giroux-Jakub Voracek
Line 2: Matt Read-Sean Couturier-Brayden Schenn
Line 3: Ryan White-Nick Cousins-Zac Rinaldo
Line 4: Chris Vandevelde-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Vincent Lecavalier
D-Pair 1: Nick Schultz-Mark Streit
D-Pair 2: Michael Del Zotto-Carlo Colaiacovo
D-Pair 3: Nicklas Grossmann-Brandon Manning
Goalie: Steve Mason
Where to Watch
TV: NBCSN
Radio: 93.3 WMMR
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
