Flyers-Canucks preview: Brian Elliott one win away from No. 200
The Flyers are trying to sweep their three-game western Canada road trip, which followed a 10-game losing streak (0-5-5).
Flyers (10-11-7) at Canucks (14-10-4)
WHEN: 10 p.m. Thursday.
WHERE: Rogers Arena.
BROADCAST & STREAMING: TV — NBCSP; radio — 93.3 FM.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: Twitter, @BroadStBull; @samdonnellon.
KEY PLAYERS: Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstom (2.41 GAA, .917 save percentage) is coming off his first career shutout, a 3-0 win over Carolina, and will try to end the Flyers' second two-game winning streak of the season. They have not won three straight all year.
The Canucks have a three-game winning streak, and they defeated the Flyers, 5-2, on Nov. 21. In that game, rookie Brock Boeser — whom Dave Hakstol successfully recruited to North Dakota just before he took the Flyers' coaching job — had two goals and Markstrom made 36 saves. Boeser has a team-high 25 points, including 13 goals, and has vaulted into the rookie-of-the-year race.
Vancouver is hoping top-line center Bo Horvat can play after suffering an injured leg Tuesday. He is second on the Canucks in goals (10) and points (20).
With Michal Neuvirth hurt and backup goalie Alex Lyon inexperienced, Brian "Moose" Elliott is expected to start on back-to-back nights. He has 199 career victories and is coming off Wednesday's 4-2 win in Edmonton.
The Flyers are trying to sweep their three-game Western Canada swing, which followed a 10-game losing streak. They have inched to within six points of a playoff spot.
More good news: Wayne Simmonds, slowed by injuries most of the season, is totally healthy and starting to resemble himself. He has goals in each of the last two games.
Simmonds and Jake Voracek each had eight shots in Wednesday's victory, just the Flyers' second win in their last nine games in Edmonton.
THINGS TO KNOW: Vancouver's power play is 12th in the league (21.2 percent success rate), and the Flyers' PP is 18th (19.3 percent). … Henrik Sedin leads the Canucks with 15 assists. … Claude Giroux is coming off his fifth two-assist game of the season. … In Wednesday's win, Ivan Provorov had a career-high eight hits and played 28:08. He and defensive partner Andrew MacDonald helped contain superstar Connor McDavid (one shot). … On Wednesday, Provorov became the sixth player in franchise history to play in 110 straight games at the start of his career, passing Bobby Clarke (109). Defenseman Chris Therien, now a Flyers broadcaster, has the club record: 156 consecutive games to start his career before he was a healthy scratch. … Michael Raffl has four goals in his last seven games. … Radko Gudas will sit out the final game of his 10-game suspension Thursday. He is expected to replace Alt in Tuesday's home game against Toronto. The Flyers, 4-6-4 at home, will be trying to end a six-game winless streak at the Wells Fargo Center.
HEAD TO HEAD: This is the second and final meeting between the teams. The Flyers have a 73-34-13-9 advantage in the all-time series, and they have a 33-13-12-0 record in Vancouver.
COMING FLYERS GAMES:
Tuesday: 7 p.m. vs. Toronto.
Thursday: 7 p.m. vs. Buffalo.