Flyers-Ducks Preview: Hart, Laughton Return; COVID Issues Remain for Both Rosters

The Flyers kicked off the new year with another edition of Flyers After Dark. It ultimately featured too many of the habits from 2021 that they are trying to break as a team, bringing their seven-game points streak to a close.

The four-game road trip out of the holiday break ends with one more game on the West coast on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, albeit with many players out due to COVID protocol on both sides, including both team captains, a budding young star for Anaheim, and the Flyers other top-pairing defenseman.

Game time is 10 p.m.

Team Leaders

Joel Farabee has the scoring touch right now. He has three goals in the last four games and six goals in the last eight games. Keep an eye on him tonight to keep the production going.

Troy Terry has cooled off since a hot start, but he remains Anaheim's leading scorer with 18 goals and 31 points. Despite scoring just one goal in the last five games and going goalless in the last four games, he's a talented young player that knows how to find the net.

Carter Hart is expected to get the start for the Flyers. Hart makes his return to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 16 when he took the shootout loss in Montreal. He was out for the final game prior to the holiday break with a non-COVID illness, then entered COVID protocol out of the break.

John Gibson starts for the Ducks. Gibson is currently in a personal five-game losing streak, most recently allowing three goals on 35 shots in a loss to Colorado. His last win came on Dec. 9. That is also Gibson's only win since the start of December. He had a 1-2-4 record in the month and added another regulation loss on Sunday.

Projected Lineups

Flyers Scratches: Claude Giroux (COVID protocol), Ivan Provorov (COVID protocol), Sean Couturier (COVID protocol), Nick Seeler (COVID protocol), Jackson Cates (COVID protocol), Ryan Ellis (injury), Nate Thompson (injury), Derick Brassard (injury)

Ducks Scratches: Ryan Getzlaf (COVID protocol), Derek Grant (COVID protocol), Nicolas Deslauriers (COVID protocol), Trevor Zegras (COVID protocol), Adam Henrique (injury), Max Jones (injury), Josh Mahura (injury)

• Flyers: Scott Laughton makes his return to the Flyers lineup in addition to Hart. The team added Jackson Cates and Nick Seeler to COVID protocol on Monday, and also added Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov prior to the game on Tuesday. Cam York will come in to make his season debut for Provorov. The team can also call-up Gerry Mayhew from the Taxi Squad to take Giroux's place. Cates was already expected to come out of the lineup for Laughton.
• Ducks: The Ducks only had 10 available forwards at the morning skate. They may make a last-minute call-up, but their AHL squad is also dealing with COVID cases, so they are limited in options.

Game Notes

• Power Play: Flyers (26th), Ducks (4th)
• Penalty Kill: Flyers (13th), Ducks (3rd)
• Recent History vs. Ducks
  • Dec. 29, 2019 - Flyers 2, Ducks 1 (F/OT) (at ANA)
  • Dec. 17, 2019 - Flyers 4, Ducks 1 (at PHI)
• Flyers Leaders vs. Ducks
  • Claude Giroux - 19 GP, 3 G, 16 A, 19 P
  • Keith Yandle - 47 GP, 9 G, 27 A, 36 P
  • James van Riemsdyk - 14 GP, 0 G, 9 A, 9 P
  • Carter Hart - 2 GP, 2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .959 SV%
• Milestone Watch
  • Travis Konecny needs one goal to reach 100 for his career.

Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: Flyers Broadcast Network

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN and Flyers editor for SportsTalkPhilly.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.