Sharks at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers were dealt a serious blow on Monday, and they didn't even play a game. The Flyers will take the first step toward overcoming the injury of offseason acquisition James van Riemsdyk on Tuesday when they play their home opener against the San Jose Sharks at Wells Fargo Center.
Van Riemsdyk, who was biggest free-agent signing of general manager Ron Hextall's tenure, will miss five to six weeks with a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday's 5-2 setback to Colorado. "It's a big loss, but it's going to be other guys who are going to step up and fill some roles," center Sean Couturier told Philly.com. San Jose was unable to find its offense while continuing its pronounced power-play woes on Monday as it opened its five-game road trip with a 4-0 setback to the New York Islanders. "It was a game that was winnable. It's frustrating we don't stick any in the net with some of the looks we had, some of the power plays, the kind of momentum we felt like we had," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski told reporters.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE SHARKS (1-2-0): San Jose failed to convert on four chances with the extra man versus New York to fall to 0-for-10 on the power play this season. The Sharks hope to make a dent versus the Flyers, against whom they scored twice with the man advantage in a 5-3 setback on Oct. 4, 2017 and added one power-play tally in a 3-1 win on Nov. 28. Martin Jones, who had 26 saves on Monday, has turned aside 77 of 83 shots to win two of three career encounters with the Flyers.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (1-1-0): Jordan Weal skated in van Riemsdyk's spot on left wing in Monday's practice with center Mikhail Vorobyev and Wayne Simmonds. The 26-year-old Weal has yet to play this season and recorded 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 69 contests in 2017-18. "(I'll) do what I do best - that's creating plays, creating offense, and being strong all over the ice defensively," Weal told reporters. "... (If I) go out and do that, the team will have success and I'll have success."
OVERTIME
1. Simmonds enjoyed success versus San Jose last season, highlighted by his opening-night hat trick.
2. Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told reporters on Monday that F Joe Thornton does not have any structural damage in his right knee.
3. "Gritty," who is a 7-foot tall orange mascot of the Flyers, will make his regular-season debut at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday.