Flyers-Flames Preview: Flyers Go for Sweep, but Must Douse Red-Hot Calgary

In the first two games of the three-game road trip, the Flyers have delivered the desired result. To close things out on Saturday night, they face a team that is also hot to start the season.

The Calgary Flames return to home ice after sweeping a five-game road trip that included four Metropolitan Division teams. Now, they face the Flyers, once final test for the Orange and Black on this road trip as they close out their October schedule.

Game time is at 10 p.m.

Team Leaders

Philadelphia Flyers	GP	G	A	P	Calgary Flames	GP	G	A	P
Sean Couturier	6	3	6	9	Johnny Gaudreau	7	1	9	10
Claude Giroux	6	4	4	8	Elias Lindholm	7	7	1	8
Cam Atkinson	6	6	1	7	Andrew Mangiapane	7	7	0	7
Travis Konecny	6	3	3	6	Dillon Dube	7	1	4	5
Joel Farabee	6	3	3	6	Blake Coleman	6	3	1	4

Sean Couturier has gotten off to an excellent start in his season. In addition to containing two of the top lines in the NHL in a pair of Flyers wins against Boston and Edmonton, he has put up nine points to start the season, including seven in his last five games.

The Flames have multiple players off to hot starts, but Elias Lindholm has really been on fire centering Calgary's top line. Including a hat trick on Oct. 23 against Washington, Lindholm has five goals in his last five games.

Carter Hart is expected to be back in goal for the Flyers. Hart made 34 saves against the Oilers in a win on Wednesday, continuing a solid start to the season.

Jakob Markstrom is also off to an excellent start, but especially in the last three games. Markstrom has stopped 106 of 107 shots in those games, including a pair of shutout wins against Detroit and Pittsburgh.

Projected Lineups

Flyers Scratches: Ryan Ellis (injury), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (healthy)

Flames Scratches: Brad Richardson (injury), Juuso Valimaki (healthy), Michael Stone (healthy)

Lineup Notes

Flyers: It appears Ryan Ellis will miss his fourth straight game. He participated in morning skate, but was not on his usual pairing or in power-play drills. The only other possible lineup note is that Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Patrick Brown rotated in morning skate, so while it seems more likely that Brown will remain in the lineup, there is a chance Aube-Kubel could slot back in. The status of all three will be known closer to game time.
Flames: Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov come back into the lineup for the Flames. Juuso Valimaki and Michael Stone come out as a result. No changes among the forwards.

Game Notes

Power Play: Flyers (6th), Flames (9th)
Penalty Kill: Flyers (14th), Flames (17th)
Recent History vs. Flames
- Nov. 23, 2019 - Flames 3, Flyers 2 (F/SO) (at PHI)
- Oct. 15, 2019 - Flames 3, Flyers 1 (at CGY)
Flyers Leaders vs. Flames
- Claude Giroux - 18 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 P
- Derick Brassard - 24 GP, 6 G, 12 A, 18 P
- Rasmus Ristolainen - 13 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 P
- Sean Couturier - 14 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 P
- Cam Atkinson - 16 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 P
- Carter Hart - 2 GP, 0-0-2, 2.36 GAA, .936 SV%
Milestone Watch
- Carter Hart makes his 100th career start tonight.
- Rasmus Ristolainen needs one assist to reach 200 for his career.
- Travis Konecny needs three goals to reach 100 for his career.
- Claude Giroux needs five power-play points to pass Bobby Clarke for the Flyers all-time franchise lead.