Flyers at Ducks
The Philadelphia Flyers were finding different ways to get the job done during their 10-game winning streak earlier this season but seem to have lost the formula. The Flyers have posted just one victory in six contests since the streak ended and hope to ignite their dormant offense when they complete a four-game road trip against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
Philadelphia has scored fewer than two goals in four of its last six contests - getting shut out twice on its trek – and is 1-for-21 on the power play over its last eight games. “We got to get more pucks to the net, driving the net,” Flyers leading goal scorer Wayne Simmonds (17) told Philly.com. “We got to press that issue and can’t wait for things to happen.” The Ducks are pleased to be home after surviving a brutal December schedule that saw them play 11 of their 15 games on the road, finishing 7-4-4 after Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Vancouver. Anaheim looks to continue its dominance of Philadelphia as it has won seven straight in the all-time series, including a 3-2 triumph on Oct. 20.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NHL Network, CSN Philadelphia, Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (20-14-4): Philadelphia was blanked for the second time in three games on Friday, suffering a 2-0 loss at San Jose in which top netminder Steve Mason went down with a hand injury. Mason’s status is uncertain and backup Michal Neuvirth (knee) is not yet ready to return, meaning the 22-year-old Anthony Stolarz could receive another start - and Simmonds told reporters the team has “full confidence” in the former second-round pick. Jakub Voracek, captain Claude Giroux, Simmonds and Brayden Schenn - the Flyers' top four scorers - have combined for seven points in the last six games.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (18-12-8): The frustration of the 3-on-3 overtime continued Friday for the Ducks, who fell to 0-7 in the five-minute period this season - with four of the losses coming in December. Anaheim has been able to earn points despite having its top offensive performers cool down, as leading scorer Ryan Kesler (31 points) has gone 11 games without a goal while captain Ryan Getzlaf has notched one point in his last five contests. Corey Perry (three points in his last eight games) is tied with Getzlaf for second on the team with 29 points and Rickard Rakell tops the Ducks with 16 goals after scoring one in each of his last two games.
OVERTIME
1. Ducks D Sami Vatanen (illness) has missed three consecutive games and is questionable for Sunday.
2. Philadelphia's Radko Gudas (upper body) missed Friday’s game and is questionable along with fellow D Mark Streit (shoulder), who has been out since Dec. 11.
3. Anaheim RW Jakob Silfverberg has registered three goals in the last four games to push his season total to 11.