Game 60 Preview: Flyers @ Hurricanes
The Philadelphia Flyers (35-26-8) are in Raleigh on Thursday to take on the Carolina Hurricanes (43-20-6). Game time at PNC Arena is 7:00 p.m. EDT.
After the Flyers earned a 4-3 win at home over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs turned around and beat the Washington Capitals, 7-3, the next night. Philly leads Washington by three points and the New York Islanders by five points. As long as the Flyers find ways to win, the fact that both the Capitals and Islanders hold one game in hand apiece is irrelevant.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes (also playing their 70th game of the regular season), are two points behind the New York Rangers for first place in the Metro. New York also holds a slight edge in the regulation wins tiebreaker category (37 to 36). If the regular season ended today, the Hurricanes would play the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
After the Flyers earned a 4-3 win at home over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs turned around and beat the Washington Capitals, 7-3, the next night. Philly leads Washington by three points and the New York Islanders by five points. As long as the Flyers find ways to win, the fact that both the Capitals and Islanders hold one game in hand apiece is irrelevant.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes (also playing their 70th game of the regular season), are two points behind the New York Rangers for first place in the Metro. New York also holds a slight edge in the regulation wins tiebreaker category (37 to 36). If the regular season ended today, the Hurricanes would play the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
Based on morning skate lines tweeted out by the Inquirer's Jackie Spiegel -- plus John Tortorella's continued refusal during gameday media availability to answer any questions pertaining to team captain Sean Couturier -- it appears that the Flyers will dress the same lineup against Carolina that they used against Toronto in a 4-3 win on Tuesday. The projected lineup is below.
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Flyers
74 Owen Tippett - 48 Morgan Frost - 11 Travis Konecny
86 Joel Farabee - 21 Scott Laughton - 10 Bobby Brink
71 Tyson Foerster - 25 Ryan Poehling - 19 Garnet Hathaway
44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 27 Noah Cates - 62 Olle Lycksell
8 Cam York - 6 Travis Sanheim
5 Egor Zamula - 77 Erik Johnson
50 Adam Ginning - 23 Ronnie Attard
33 Samuel Ersson
[32 Felix Sandström]
Hurricanes
*******
Phantoms Strengthen Playoff Push, Beat Springfield
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms earned two vital points in a head-to-head clash with the Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday as Ian Laperriere's club prevailed, 3-1. The Phantoms trailed entering the third period, 1-0, but stepped up for three unanswered goals to earn the win.
Adam Brooks (PPG. 7th), Evan Polei (2nd) and Tanner Laczynski (ENG, 13th) tallied for the Phantoms in the third period push. Laczynski also had the primary assist on Brooks' game-tying goal. Samu Tuomaala (PP), Elliot Desnoyers, Brendan Furry (EN), and Jacob Gaucher (EN) chipped in an assist apiece.
Cal Petersen, whose play has picked up considerably of late since between sent back down by the Flyers, turned in a strong performance in backstopping the Phantoms to a key victory. Petersen stopped 23 of 24 shots on Wednesday, allowing only a second period power play goal by veteran Adam Gaudette (37th goal of the season). Colten Ellis (22 saves on 24 shots) took the loss in net for Springfield. The Phantoms were 1-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the PK.
With the win, the Phantoms (27-24-8) moved three points ahead of Springfield (27-28-5) for the final Calder Cup playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. The Phantoms have 13 games remaining on their regular season schedule while the Thunderbirds have 12.
Next up for the Phantoms: Home games on Saturday against the Bridgeport Islanders (20-33-7) and Sunday against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (31-20-9).
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