The Flyers have 11 points in their last six games. The Maple Leafs have lost five straight games. Toronto is in town to face the Flyers tonight. So this should be good for us.
There. That’s your hockey analysis for tonight.
OK no, really though. The Flyers could actually cross into playoff position tonight with a victory, which is a big milestone after a season so far in which they have reached all the way down into the bottom five in the NHL standings. If the Flyers pick up two points this evening, they’ll need Boston to beat Montreal in regulation and New Jersey to lose in any fashion. If that happens, a nice snug wild card spot will be what the Flyers sleep under tonight.
Toronto is without their top scorer, James van Riemsdyk, tonight and throughout much of the next several weeks as he recovers from a broken foot. The Flyers won’t change their lineup at all from Sunday night’s win over Detroit, because why would they at this point? It’s Steve Mason vs. James Reimer in net.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Wells Fargo Center, South Philadelphia
Local: CSN Philly, 97.5 The Fanatic
In Toronto: TSN 4, TVA
Elsewhere: NHL GameCenter, NHL Center Ice
Toronto lineup (seriously, this is an NHL team)
- Matthias – Bozak – Parenteau
- Grabner – Kadri – Komarov
- Lupul – Holland – Boyes’
- Winnik – Froese – Clune
- Hunwick – Reilly
- Gardiner – Phaneuf
- Marincin – Polak/
Flyers lineup
- Voracek – Giroux – Simmonds
- Raffl – Couturier – Schenn
- VandeVelde – Bellemare – White
- Read – Laughton – Umberger
- Medvedev – Gostisbehere
- MDZ – Gudas
- Streit – Schultz/
