1 PM game during a slump, what could go wrong?
Just the facts
When: Today, 1 PM
Where: Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Opposing perspective: Broad Street Hockey
Know your enemy
- 4-6-1, 9PTS, 6th in the Metropolitan Division
- Travis Konecny: 5G-5A-10PTS; Matvei Michkov: 4G-5A-9TS; Sean Couturier: 3G-3A-6PTS
- Samuel Ersson: 4-2-1, 2.72 GAA, .897 save percentage
Game notes
- The Bruins are a mess, and let’s see what’s on tap…oh, a 1 PM game? On the road? Great.
- The B’s and Flyers come into this game with identical 4-6-1 records, but the vibes surrounding each team are pretty different. The Bruins, as you may be aware, aren’t exactly humming along; the Flyers, on the other hand, have won two in a row and three of four.
- Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov, second on the team in scoring, was named NHL Rookie of the Month for October. Nine points in 11 games as a teenager…not too shabby.
- Samuel Ersson has one shutout in seven appearances this season, and it came against the Bruins earlier this week; Ersson made 25 saves in that win. He has won his last three starts in a row.
- The Bruins were supposed to practice in Philadelphia on Friday, but reportedly ended up cancelling it. Steve Conroy reports that the decision came down to rest. We’ll see if it pays off, I guess.
- In the Bruins’ recent 2-0 loss to Philly at TD Garden, the Flyers did a good job getting in shooting lanes and generally stifling scoring opportunities. It will be interesting to see if the B’s learned anything from that game or if they stick to their guns and run headlong into the same problems.
- While most of Philly’s team stats are middle- to bottom-of-the-pack, the Flyers do have the league’s fourth-best penalty kill. That doesn’t bode well for a Bruins power play that’s struggling to find its rhythm.
- Jeremy Swayman got shelled and pulled in the Carolina debacle, though it’d be a bit harsh to pin the blame on him. Joonas Korpisalo played well against Philly earlier this week, so…we’ll see which way Jim Montgomery goes.
Once more unto the breach, friends. Get ready for another spell of Bruins hockey!