The Flyers have played just five games ever at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota, so Monday night’s game is a rare treat for Flyers fans that live in the State of Hockey.
Philadelphia Flyers (12-12-2, 26 pts) at Minnesota Wild (15-8-5, 35 pts)
8 p.m. | Xcel Energy Center | Minneapolis, Minn.
In Philly: CSN Philly, 97.5 FM | Nat’l: NBCSN | In MIN: FS North
Get the Minnesota perspective at Hockey Wilderness
Vincent Lecavalier will miss the game with back spasms, the team announced this morning. Paul Holmgren hopes that No. 40 will be back in time for Wednesday’s game in Detroit, but the Flyers will be without his services this evening in St. Paul. Michael Raffl should get more ice time as a result.
Ray Emery will get the start for the Flyers against Josh Harding, who’s had a great year so far in 21 games for the Wild.
Minnesota’s not playing too well right now, however. They were able to squeeze out a point against Colorado on Saturday, but lost three straight before that. The Flyers, meanwhile, have looked pretty dismal as well, but the results are still working in their favor, largely thanks to the goaltending. It’ll be hard for Emery to match what Steve Mason did on Saturday, but it should be fun watching him try.
Flyers lineup
Hartnell – Giroux – Voracek
Raffl – Schenn – Simmonds
Read – Couturier – Downie
Rosehill – Hall – Rinaldo
Timonen – Coburn
Grossmann – Streit
Meszaros – Schenn
Minnesota lineup
Parise – Koivu – Pominville
Niederreiter – Coyle – Heatley
Fontaine – Brodziak – Cooke
Mitchell – Konopka – Haula
Suter – Brodin
Spurgeon – Scandella
Stoner – Ballard
The game is on CSN Philly in the Delaware Valley, FS North in Minnesota and NBC Sports Network if you’re elsewhere in the United States. It’s an 8 p.m. start because Minnesota is in the central time zone and all.
