John Tortorella’s Philadelphia Flyers (25-18-6) will play their final game before the All-Star break on Saturday afternoon at Wells Fargo Centre against Jim Montgomery’s Boston Bruins (30-9-9). Game time is 12:30 p.m. ET.
Before the game, at noon, Mark Recchi will be inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame. Recchi scored two goals and was named First Star in the Flyers Alumni Team’s 6-2 victory over the Bruins Alumni.
Saturday’s game will air on NBCSP. The radio broadcast is on 97.5 The Fanatic, with an online simulcast on Flyers Radio available 24/7.
This is the first of three matches between the clubs this season, the first two of which are in Philadelphia. The Flyers and Bruins will face off again in TD Garden on March 16, before returning to Wells Fargo Centre on March 23. Last season, the Bruins swept the season series. Over the last two seasons, the Flyers have gone 1-5-0 versus Boston. A win on Saturday would end a four-game losing streak against the Bruins.
The Flyers were blanked 3-0 on the road by the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday evening, marking the second time this season.
Here are five things to watch during Saturday’s game:
1. Creating their own luck.
The Flyers haven’t received many favourable bounces lately. Three of the goals surrendered during their four-game losing streak came on deflected pucks that were either partially blocked shots with a drastically altered trajectory or struck off a Flyers player’s body and redirected into the net.
In hockey, however, both bad and good luck are essentially self-created. Pay attention to detail, compel opponents to continuously burn energy in their defensive end zone, and, when you’re on defence, eliminate plays before they become dangerous. Good habits tend to produce good luck. The contrary is also true.
2. Forechecking and transition games
The Bruins are fourth in the NHL in terms of team goals against average (2.60) and sixth in terms of offensive efficiency (3.44 goals per game). With 69 standings points, they are tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the league lead. Last season, the Bruins set an NHL single-season scoring record (135).
Boston is unrelenting on both sides of the puck. They rarely give up the centre of the ice or opposition stretch passes. The Flyers must be both patient and resourceful. If they find themselves settling for one-and-done surges all day, unable to navigate the neutral zone, and/or frequently requiring
With two or three chances to get the puck out of the defensive zone, the Flyers might have an unpleasant day.
On the other hand, revisit the Flyers’ victories over the Jets and Stars during the five-game winning streak that preceded the final four games. In those games, the Flyers were the club that commanded play and kept opponents on their heels.
3. Sanheim, York, and Drysdale.
If the Flyers are to carry a victory against the Bruin into the All-Star break, they will need solid two-way performances from nearly their entire roster, including forwards and defenseman. The Flyers will need to play as a five-man unit against the Bruins like they did in their two wins over Vancouver earlier this season, as well as in the games against Winnipeg and Dallas.
In terms of the Flyers’ defence corps, following the shifts of Travis Sanheim, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale in particular will tell a significant tale about how the team performs overall. Are they causing effective breakouts? Are they maintaining tight spacing and using their sticks effectively?
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