Tuesday: Red Wings visit
The Detroit Red Wings climbed over the Flyers in the wild card race this week, and on Tuesday night they’ll visit the Wells Fargo Center for the first time as a member of the Eastern Conference. It’s the final of three meetings between the teams.
The Flyers lost the first one back in October, 5-2, but rebounded with a win a rare 6-3 win Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 4. Detroit has points in three straight games, most recently a 5-4 shootout loss on Sunday night at home against Florida in which they blew a 4-2 third period lead. They’re game in Philadelphia is their first on the road since Jan. 16, a 1-0 loss to the Rangers.
Henrik Zetterberg was a late scratch on Sunday with nagging back problems, and Pavel Datsyuk has missed 10 straight. Both are listed as day-to-day. Jimmy Howard is out but could return against the Flyers.
7 p.m. start on CSN Philly.
Thursday: On the road in Anaheim
The Ducks are the best team in hockey. They score more than everybody but St. Louis and Chicago, and only four teams allow fewer goals than they do. They have lost one (1) time in regulation on home ice this season. They have won twenty-one (21) times on home ice this season. The Flyers will play on their home ice this week.
We shouldn’t expect a win in this game, honestly. Probably shouldn’t expect a point. Steve Mason made 37 saves on home ice against these guys in October but the Flyers blew an early 2-0 lead and lost 3-2. This is going to be a tough friggin’ hockey game.
10 p.m. start on CSN Philly.
Saturday: Old friends
The Flyers haven’t played in Los Angeles since Dec. 30, 2010. A few things have happened since then.
It’s the first time Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn will play at Staples Center since being traded to the Flyers in the summer of 2011, which should be a nice little homecoming for those guys. The Kings have won the Stanley Cup since the Flyers last visit out there, so I guess there will be some scenery to see in the rafters.
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Okay, I tried to write this section without mentioning Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, but then I looked at the box score from that Dec. 2010 game. Mike Richards had two goals and two assists. Jeff Carter, James van Riemsdyk and Danny Briere each had a goal and an assist. The Flyers won, 7-4, and now we all want to cry. Please just win, Flyers.
4 p.m. start on CSN Philly locally and NHL Network nationally.
