Flyers-Wild preview: Philly looking for revenge against hot goalie, hotter winger
The Flyers, with their offense sputtering, will try to avenge Saturday's 1-0 loss as they play in Minnesota on Tuesday.
Wild (7-7-2) vs. Flyers (8-7-2)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday.
WHERE: Xcel Energy Center.
BROADCAST & STREAMING: TV– NBCSP+; radio–97.5 FM.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: Twitter, @BroadStBull; @samdonnellon.
KEY PLAYERS: For much of season's first six weeks, the Flyers have been a one-team line.
Hello, Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, and Jake Voracek. The three have combined for 46 percent (23 of 50) of the Flyers' goals.
In the last three games, Minnesota has been a one-player team.
Hello, Jason Zucker. The 25-year-old winger has scored all six Wild goals during that span. If he scores Minnesota's next goal, he will tie an obscure NHL record: most consecutive goals for a team — seven scored by Ottawa's Cy Denneny in 1921, and equaled by Chicago's Brian Noonan in 1991, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
With that as a backdrop, two teams scuffling for some balanced scoring will meet for the second time in four nights. Minnesota won a 1-0 snoozefest Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center as Devan Dubnyk handed the Flyers their fourth shutout loss in their first 17 games.
The Flyers' record for being shut out: 10 times in the 1968-69 season.
Dubnyk, 31, will put a 135:05 scoreless streak on the line. He will be opposed by Brian Elliott, who has a 1.00 GAA and .970 save percentage in his last two games.
Overall, Dubnyk is 6-6-1 with a 2.55 GAA and .920 save percentage, while Elliott is 6-4-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .908 save percentage.
Zucker leads the Wild in goals (9) and points (14). Eric Staal has chipped in with five goals and 12 points.
Voracek (21 points), Giroux (20), and Couturier (19) pace the Flyers. Couturier already has 10 goals — five shy of equaling his career high. Shayne Gostisbehere has 15 points in 14 games.
THINGS TO KNOW: The Flyers have made several line changes, including putting Jordan Weal as the second-line center, in an effort to shake their offensive lethargy…..Minnesota will try to register back-to-back shutouts against the Flyers for the first time since 2003…..Zucker, the first Nevada-raised player to be selected in the NHL draft, was named the NHL's No. 1 star of the week.
INJURY UPDATE: Flyers center Nolan Patrick (concussion) and defenseman Andrew MacDonald (leg) are still sidelined with injuries but are getting close to returning. Minnesota is missing Zach Parise (back surgery) and Charlie Coyle (fibula fracture).
HEAD TO HEAD: The Flyers have a 14-6-2 advantage in the all-time series.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Thursday: 8 p.m. at Winnipeg.
Saturday: 1 p.m. vs. Calgary.
Nov. 21: 7 p.m. vs. Vancouver.