Flyers at Jets
THE STORY: Peter Laviolette watched in horror as the
Philadelphia Flyers yielded goals to nine different Winnipeg Jets skaters in a wild 9-8 loss at Wells Fargo Center on Oct. 27.
The Flyers coach did his best to put the wild contest into context
before ultimately conceding that "We'll go back and we’ll work on
everything." Well, whatever Laviolette did or said after the loss to the
Jets worked wonders - Philadelphia has recorded at least one point in
its last eight games (6-0-2). Prized offseason acquisition Ilya
Bryzgalov, who admitted famously that he was "lost in the woods" after
yielding four goals on 10 shots in that contest, has certainly found
himself. Since being jolted by the Jets, the Russian has reeled off a
5-0-1 mark - highlighted by an impressive 30-save performance in a 2-1
victory over his former employer in the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. The
Eastern Conference-leading Flyers will vie for their fourth straight
win when they invade Manitoba to face the Jets on Saturday afternoon.
Winnipeg limped to a 2-4-2 mark after outslugging
Philadelphia before winning its last two games.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, CBC, CSP
ABOUT THE FLYERS (11-4-3): Veteran Jaromir Jagr left
Thursday's game with a lower body injury, although general manager Paul
Holmgren isn't overly concerned. "I don't think it's anything serious,"
he said. "I just talked to Jaromir. He thinks in a couple days he should
be better." Jagr didn't make the trip to Manitoba, but eyes a potential
return to the ice for Monday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Matt Read scored with 19 seconds remaining to lift the Flyers to
victory. The rookie has scored in three straight games.
ABOUT THE JETS (7-9-3): Evander Kane seems to have
righted the ship after a tough four-game stretch in which he was saddled
with a minus-5 rating. The former first-round pick has recorded
back-to-back multi-point efforts. Kane collected a goal and an assist in
the slugfest victory over the Flyers. Although credited with the win on
that night, Ondrej Pavelec wasn't bragging about his performance after
yielding seven goals on 43 shots. He is expected to make his 12th
straight start on Saturday.
OVERTIME:
1. Philadelphia C Zac Rinaldo (73 penalty minutes) is doing his best to
imitate a former Flyer's hard-hitting style. "Eric Lindros, that's who I
modeled my hitting after," Rinaldo said. "He hammered guys, and he was
6-4. I'm hammering guys the same way, and I'm 5-11. It shouldn't make a
difference. It's just when to hit and how you hit."
2. Winnipeg RW Eric Fehr is in line to make his season debut on
Saturday. Fehr has been cleared to play after having shoulder surgery in
May.