Flyers vs Senators Preview: How to Watch, Keys to Game, and Lineups

The Philadelphia Flyers are back home tonight to face the Ottawa Senators in a rematch where the Flyers fell to the Senators in Ottawa 2-1.

The Flyers are now facing a historic beginning to a season with their record now being 0-6-3 on the verge of losing their first 10 games of the season.The Flyers are now 1 of 23 teams in NHL history to go winless through their first 9 games and if they lose tonight to Ottawa they will be the 11th team in NHL history to have lost their first 10 games of a season. 

Owen Tippett was not at the morning skate this morning and Dan Vladar will be getting the start in net tonight for the Flyers. Puck drop is tonight at 7 PM.

How To Watch

• Time: 7 PM
• Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena Philadelphia, PA
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Radio: 97.3 ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN +

Projected Lines Flyers vs Senators

Forwards

46 Trevor Zegras - 22 Christian Dvorak - 71 Tyson Foerster

94 Porter Martone - 27 Noah Cates - 39 Matvei Michkov 

86 Denver Barkey - 14 Sean Couturier - 58 Michael Bunting

10 Garrett Wilson - 23 Jack Studnicka - 52 Noel Acciari

Defense

6 Travis Sanheim - 59 Oliver Bonk

24 Nick Seeler - 9 Jamie Drysdale

44 Simon Benoit - 5 David Jiricek

Goalies 

80 Dan Vladar

52 Joseph Woll

Injuries & Roster Updates

Owen Tippett was not at morning skate this morning, Rick Tocchet said that Tippett is a game time decision and it's an upper-body injury.

Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York were both not at the morning skate this morning.

Projected Opponents Lines: Ottawa Senators

Forwards

83 Stephen Halliday - 18 Tim Stützle - 19 Drake Batherson

95 Andre Burakovsky - 24 Dylan Cozens - 28 Claude Giroux

21 Nick Cousins - 12 Shane Pinto - 22 Michael Amadio

37 Warren Foegele - 71 Ridly Greig - 20 Fabian Zetterlund

Defense

72 Thomas Chabot - 2 Artem Zub

43 Tyler Kleven - 10 Jordan Spence

33 Nikolas Matinpalo - 26 Carter Yakemchuk

Goalies

35 Linus Ullmark

30 Samuel Ersson

Keys to the Game

• Get the top guys more minutes: It has been noticeable that in recent games Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov have been the only real offensive firepower that the Flyers have had. Michkov leads the Flyers in goals with 3 on the year and Porter Martone is always generating offense and drawing penalties constantly. But for some reason they are getting pushed to the bottom in time on ice and things need to change. The Flyers are bottom of the league in goal differential and shot differential and with keeping guys like Martone and Michkov on the bench these numbers are not going to get any better.

• Stay out of the penalty box: The Flyers have been shooting themselves in the foot with the amount of penalties that they are taking and at the times in the game when they are taking them. They are costing themselves momentum and offensive opportunities by putting themselves in the box. Right after goals they are seemingly going on the penalty kill and it shuts down any momentum they were mustering up. Guys like Tyson Foerster who is a key factor on the kill is taking too many penalties and it is costing them big time.

• Keep the bottom lines off the ice in crucial situations: This was most apparent in the game against the Red Wings. The game winning goal was given up by the fourth line with less than 5 minutes to go in the game. For the Flyers to scrap out a last minute win the bottom guys are not going to be the ones to get it done. The top line guys need to be out there so you can at least have a chance to put the puck in the net.

By the Numbers

• In 12 career games against the Philadelphia Flyers, former captain Claude Giroux has 3 goals and 10 assists.
• Dan Vladar vs the Ottawa Senators has a 1-1-2 record, while posting a .940 save percentage and a 1.76 goals against average.
• In 7 games against the Senators Matvei Michkov has put up 3 goals for the Philadelphia Flyers.

X-Factors

• Matvei Michkov: Michkov has been the Flyers best player as of late and he needs to be doing a lot of the same tonight for the Flyers. Michkov gives the Flyers the best chance at scoring and the team desperately needs scoring. Michkov needs to be given the time on ice tonight to make the impact he is capable of making and if he is given it he can take over this game and help the Flyers tremendously.

• Claude Giroux: The former captain has had the Flyers number in the games he has played against them. 3 goals and 10 assists in 12 games is very impressive and you know Giroux is always comfortable when playing in Philly. If Giroux can have a multi point night it feels like the Flyers will have no way to comeback with the team not scoring 3 or more goals in a game this year. 

Alex Berardis is a Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN Follow him on social media @PhillyLix