Flyers hope to get PP going against Blackhawks' woeful PK; Lyubimov making debut
CHICAGO - The sample is small, but the Flyers' power play has been awful - and Chicago's penalty kill has been even worse.
One of those special-teams units is going to get on track when the Blackhawks host the Flyers at 8:30 Tuesday night.
The Flyers (1-0-1) are 0 for 6 on the power play. Chicago (1-2) has allowed a mind-boggling seven power-play goals over three games.
"We've done a lot of good things, but we have to finish," coach Dave Hakstol said after the morning skate Tuesday at the United Center.
Hakstol said the power play has "looked pretty good at times. ... We've moved the puck well, we've entered the zone well, but at the end of the day, you have to find a way to impact the game and score a couple on the PP, especially on the road. That can be the difference, for sure, between a win and a loss."
The Blackhawks have allowed seven goals in 13 chances, and their 46.2 penalty-killing rate is 29th in the NHL, ahead of only San Jose, which has allowed three goals in six power plays.
Goal hungry. Several "name" players are searching for their first goals, including Chicago's Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Artemi Panarin, and the Flyers' Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek.
Goalie matchup. Michal Neuvirth (2.00 GAA, .920 save percentage) will face Chicago's Corey Crawford (3.10, .898).
Lubby making debut. Roman Lyubimov, known as "Lubby" in the Flyers' locker room, will make his NHL debut Tuesday, playing right wing on the fourth line, one that includes Chris VandeVelde and Boyd Gordon. Nick Cousins will be a healthy scratch.
"I'm real excited. I'm ready to play," Lyubimov said, adding it was difficult to sit out the first two games and not be able to help.
The 24-year-old rookie, who formerly played in the KHL, said he was "a little nervous. It's normal."
"He deserves the opportunity to go into our lineup, and we wanted to make sure it was the right time for our team for him to go in," Hakstol said. "We feel he can help our group tonight. This probably isn't the easiest place in the league to play your first NHL game, but he's not a young kid. He's shown excellent maturity all the way through camp. He goes out and does his job, and we expect he'll do that tonight."
Hakstol said it was a tough decision to take Cousins out of the lineup. He had been the left wing on the third line. Matt Read will move into that spot tonight.
"Cous has been a good player for us, but Matt Read has played very well and deserves an opportunity," Hakstol said.
Home opener. The Flyers will host Anaheim in their home opener Thursday. Before the game, there will be tributes to the late Ed Snider and to the team's 50-year history.
The Flyers will give out light-up anniversary bracelets to fans. The last time they gave out similar bracelets, about 100 fans littered the ice with them during the third period of the Flyers' 6-1 playoff loss to Washington.
The Flyers received a two-minute penalty because of their fans' behavior, and fans got a scolding from public-address announcer Lou Nolan.
"Way to go!" he bellowed, sarcastically.
The Flyers are showing faith in their fans by again giving out the glow-in-the-dark bracelets.
Breakaways. Hakstol praised the play of defenseman Brandon Manning (three assists) and acknowledged he will have tough decisions to make when Radko Gudas' suspension ends. Gudas has four more games to serve. ... The Flyers won both games against Chicago last season. ... VandeVelde will play in his 200th career game tonight. ... The Flyers (1-0-1) started the previous four seasons this way: 0-1-1 in 2015-16; 0-2-2 in 2014-15; 0-3 in both 2013-14 and 2012-13. ... Chicago rookie center Nick Schmaltz (one goal in three games) played for Hakstol at North Dakota and was a first-round selection (20th overall) in 2014.
