Penguins at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers were still licking their wounds after sustaining two pronounced beatings at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins before the team suffered another potential key loss during Tuesday's practice. First-line center Sean Couturier collided with teammate Radko Gudas and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday prior to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series versus the visiting Penguins.
"I didn't see him. He didn't see me," Gudas told the Courier-Post of Couturier (lower body), who recorded career highs in goals (31) and points (76) in 82 games this season while his 24:35 of ice time in the playoffs trails only defenseman Ivan Provorov. Versatile captain Claude Giroux could return to his center position should the 25-year-old Couturier be sidelined as the Flyers bid to even their best-of-seven series with the Penguins at two victories apiece. Subduing Pittsburgh's superstar captain Sidney Crosby would aid greatly in their bid, as the two-time Hart Trophy recipient has seven points (four goals, three assists) in the series to move within one of Mario Lemieux's franchise postseason record of 172 (76 goals, 96 assists). "When you're in that company, it's great," the 30-year-old Crosby said. "It's not why you play but when it comes up, it's cool to be involved in that."
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ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Patric Hornqvist has provided both a physical presence as well as an important one on the scoresheet during his 10-game point streak (seven goals, five assists), but coach Mike Sullivan noted that Pittsburgh will be without the gritty 31-year-old Swede for Game 4 due to an upper-body injury. "(Hornqvist's) not an easy guy to replace, he's a unique player for us and he brings a lot," Sullivan said. "I think we're just going to have to, by committee, pick up the pieces and make sure that the opportunities that are given to others that (he) normally fills, they're going to get a great opportunity to help this team win a game." Forward Dominik Simon, who had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 33 games this season, replaced Hornqvist at right wing on a line with Crosby and Jake Guentzel during Tuesday's practice.
ABOUT THE FLYERS: Prior to Couturier's injury, coach Dave Hakstol was bidding to light a spark under a team that has mustered just six goals in three contests - with five coming in Game 2. While rookie Nolan Patrick was summoned to replace Couturier on line with Giroux and Jakub Voracek in Tuesday's practice, Hakstol also inserted Jordan Weal on the third line with the 26-year-old set to make his series debut. Weal, who will replace Oskar Lindblom, recorded a team-high four points (two goals, two assists) in the season series versus Pittsburgh.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh's top-ranked power play scored three times in Sunday's 5-1 romp to improve to 4-for-15 in the series, while its penalty kill is 11-for-13 versus Philadelphia.
2. Flyers G Brian Elliott has stopped just 69 of 80 shots in the series to see his career postseason record dip to 16-24 with a 2.71 goals-against average.
3. Pittsburgh has outshot Philadelphia in eight of nine periods in the series.