Matt Beleskey gets on the ice in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Photo credit: Steve Babineau, NHLI via Getty Images
The Flyers are coming into this game with a 2-2-1 record, having recently lost 2-1 to Dallas. Steve Mason was put in net for the loss, and though he performed well during the game (saving 20 of 22 shots for a .938 save percentage), he is still winless so far in the 2015-16 season. The Flyers have been let down by their defense, who let in 42.4 Fenwick events against per 60 minutes (21st in the league). However, in a tight Metropolitan Division, anything can happen.
The Bruins are coming in with 2-3-0 record and are facing the absence of Matt Beleskey because of an upper-body injury and possibly Patrice Bergeron (for personal reasons), though Boston sportswriter Sean Leahy says that Bergeron will be in. Though the Bruins haven't won against the best competition - their wins came against a mediocre Colorado team and and a half-decent Arizona team - the Flyers aren't the best competition either. The top line is firing on all cylinders, with David Krejci leading the league in scoring until last night.
LINE COMBOS (Boston)
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Loui Eriksson
Matt Beleskey-David Krejci-David Pastrnak
Chris Kelly-Ryan Spooner-Jimmy Hayes
Zac Rinaldo-Joonas Kemppainen-Tyler Randell
Zdeno Chara-Kevan Miller
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid
Tommy Cross-Colin Miller
Tuukka Rask
Jonas Gustavsson
Scratches: Brett Connolly, Max Talbot, Zach Trotman
LINE COMBOS (Philadelphia)
Michael Raffl-Claude Giroux-Jakub Voracek
Matt Read-Sean Couturier-Wayne Simmonds
Sam Gagner-Scott Laughton-Brayden Schenn
Chris VandeVelde-Pierre-Edouard Bellmare-Ryan White
Mark Streit-Nick Schultz
Michael Del Zotto-Brandon Manning
Yevgeni Medvedev-Radko Gudas
Michal Neuvirth
Steve Mason
Scratches: Vincent Lecavalier, Luke Schenn, R.J. Umberger
Line combos from DailyFaceoff.com
FLYING HIGH
David Krejci
I initially considered picking Tyler Randell for this spot, but David Krejci would be a better choice. Krejci is tied for 2nd in the NHL in points with nine and until recenty had a lenghty run at the number one spot. His P60 of 2.56 is a very good 53rd out of 439 qualifiers, while having the second-most ice time of all Bruins forwards. Last game, he scored a goal and two assists - including the assist on the game-winning goal, as I mentioned in the last game recap. That was his second three-point effort in a season where he's played five games.
Michal Neuvirth
I know he didn't play last game, but the two games before that saw Neuvirth post back-to-back shutouts against Chicago and Florida. When the Flyers decided to put Steve Mason in the game, they lost the game against Dallas. Neuvirth made a combined 61 saves in his shutout, and Flyers beat writer Sam Carchidi confirmed that Neuvirth would start against the Bruins, hoping to continue his shutout streak of 120 minutes.
COMING DOWN TO EARTH
Tuukka Rask
Yes, he did win the game against Arizona, but he let in three goals with a save percentage of .870 and was lucky the power play bailed him out. He definitely deserves at least some credit for the win, but an .851 save percentage is way too low for a guy who was supposed to be an all-world goalie.
Luke Schenn
One must look no further than the healthy scratch section of the Flyers' lineup to find the ghastliest contracts in hockey - Vincent Lecavalier springs to mind. But I'm talking about Luke Schenn. Schenn is in the midst of a five-year contract worth $18 million dollars and has now been scratched in the last three games. Schenn has been on the ice for five goals against, though his TAFF% is an extremely good 56.35%.
Prediction: The game could go either way, but I'm predicting a 2-1 Boston win.
The Bruins are coming in with 2-3-0 record and are facing the absence of Matt Beleskey because of an upper-body injury and possibly Patrice Bergeron (for personal reasons), though Boston sportswriter Sean Leahy says that Bergeron will be in. Though the Bruins haven't won against the best competition - their wins came against a mediocre Colorado team and and a half-decent Arizona team - the Flyers aren't the best competition either. The top line is firing on all cylinders, with David Krejci leading the league in scoring until last night.
LINE COMBOS (Boston)
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Loui Eriksson
Matt Beleskey-David Krejci-David Pastrnak
Chris Kelly-Ryan Spooner-Jimmy Hayes
Zac Rinaldo-Joonas Kemppainen-Tyler Randell
Zdeno Chara-Kevan Miller
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid
Tommy Cross-Colin Miller
Tuukka Rask
Jonas Gustavsson
Scratches: Brett Connolly, Max Talbot, Zach Trotman
LINE COMBOS (Philadelphia)
Michael Raffl-Claude Giroux-Jakub Voracek
Matt Read-Sean Couturier-Wayne Simmonds
Sam Gagner-Scott Laughton-Brayden Schenn
Chris VandeVelde-Pierre-Edouard Bellmare-Ryan White
Mark Streit-Nick Schultz
Michael Del Zotto-Brandon Manning
Yevgeni Medvedev-Radko Gudas
Michal Neuvirth
Steve Mason
Scratches: Vincent Lecavalier, Luke Schenn, R.J. Umberger
Line combos from DailyFaceoff.com
FLYING HIGH
David Krejci
I initially considered picking Tyler Randell for this spot, but David Krejci would be a better choice. Krejci is tied for 2nd in the NHL in points with nine and until recenty had a lenghty run at the number one spot. His P60 of 2.56 is a very good 53rd out of 439 qualifiers, while having the second-most ice time of all Bruins forwards. Last game, he scored a goal and two assists - including the assist on the game-winning goal, as I mentioned in the last game recap. That was his second three-point effort in a season where he's played five games.
Michal Neuvirth
I know he didn't play last game, but the two games before that saw Neuvirth post back-to-back shutouts against Chicago and Florida. When the Flyers decided to put Steve Mason in the game, they lost the game against Dallas. Neuvirth made a combined 61 saves in his shutout, and Flyers beat writer Sam Carchidi confirmed that Neuvirth would start against the Bruins, hoping to continue his shutout streak of 120 minutes.
COMING DOWN TO EARTH
Tuukka Rask
Yes, he did win the game against Arizona, but he let in three goals with a save percentage of .870 and was lucky the power play bailed him out. He definitely deserves at least some credit for the win, but an .851 save percentage is way too low for a guy who was supposed to be an all-world goalie.
Luke Schenn
One must look no further than the healthy scratch section of the Flyers' lineup to find the ghastliest contracts in hockey - Vincent Lecavalier springs to mind. But I'm talking about Luke Schenn. Schenn is in the midst of a five-year contract worth $18 million dollars and has now been scratched in the last three games. Schenn has been on the ice for five goals against, though his TAFF% is an extremely good 56.35%.
Prediction: The game could go either way, but I'm predicting a 2-1 Boston win.