The Flyers are in the midst of six games in nine nights. These next few games are going to be tough, grueling, wild and crazy, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fortunately, the Flyers are getting healthy at the right time as all six regulars that were out under the league’s Covid protocol guidelines are now back on the active roster
Usually Flyers vs. Penguins games are intense, and electrifying. Both teams do not like each other on the ice, and that tough love between these two teams have been seen over the course of the past ten seasons or so.
Sidney Crosby missed Tuesday’s game as he entered into Covid protocol. First and foremost, I hope everything is ok with Crosby and his family. This is a nasty virus that spreads like wildfire, and the health of the players and their families are the most important.
The Penguins know how to win without Crosby and the Flyers have bring their “A” game to beat the suddenly hot Penguins team. They are 14-7-4 in their last 25 games without Crosby. For whatever reason, the Penguins play well minus Crosby. Last year the Penguins farm system played well in the absence of Crosby.
Furthermore, for whatever reason Evgeni Malkin plays well without Crosby. In the last 25 games without Crosby Malkin has registered 41 points. He just seems to step up his game in the absence of a great player in Crosby. The Flyers must be aware of this, and the only player that can stop Malkin is their ace in the hole in Sean Couturier.
Couturier is vital to winning these next two games against the Penguins. If Coots plays well, and prevents Malkin from producing then the Flyers stand a good chance at taking these next two pivotal games. However, if Coots has an off night, I hate to say it but the Flyers might be in the same predicament as they were on Tuesday night.
Again the Flyers are getting healthy at the right time as every single point matters this season, here’s a quick look at the East Division standings:
Washington Capitals- 30 points, 22 GP
Boston Bruins- 27 points, 20 GP
New York Islanders- 28 points, 22 GP
Flyers- 25 points, 19 GP
Pittsburgh Penguins- 25 points, 21 GP
The Flyers are 2-1 against the Penguins this year, but this is a different Penguins team this go around as they are 5-2 in their last seven games. They are getting solid goaltending from Tristan Jarry, who made 40 saves on Tuesday night. In games involving the Pens and Flyers these two teams can throw their records out the window, anything can happen.
“We are hard to play against right now,” said Sean Couturier following the Buffalo Sabres game on Sunday. Well, now it’s time for the Flyers to prove it. Words are just words, they have to be backed up now.
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Flyers Notes:
Brain Elliott will start tonight, per Alain Vigneault. Vigneault also said there would be “Moving parts” to tonight’s lineup, and he would have some “Game time decisions.”
