Flyers at Maple Leafs
Five of the NHL's top rookies will be on display Friday when the visiting Philadelphia Flyers look to snap a two-game losing skid against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Top overall pick Auston Matthews and fellow Toronto centers William Nylander and Mitch Marner have combined for 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) while Philadelphia center Travis Konecny and defenseman Ivan Provorov have chipped in 15 (three goals, 12 assists).
Matthews has followed up his scintillating four-goal performance in the season opener and 10-point effort in his first six games with just one assist in his last seven. "I feel like I'm playing well," the 19-year-old Matthews said of his recent stretch. "I feel like I'm creating opportunities, creating scoring chances, so it's only a matter of time before they start going in." The Maple Leafs only saw their opponent's shots go in on Tuesday, as the team's season-best three-game winning streak came to a thud with a 7-0 shellacking by Los Angeles. Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux scored for the second straight game in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Detroit, and the Ontario native has collected 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 25 career encounters with Toronto.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TCN-Philadelphia, TVAS, TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (6-6-2): Brayden Schenn has been in a constant state of flux, having played left wing on the top line on six occasions, the same position on the third line twice and center on that third line three times. "It doesn't change what I try to do on the ice," the 25-year-old Schenn told Philly.com on Thursday after learning he'd be elevated back to the top line with Giroux and Wayne Simmonds. "It is what it is. They're looking for balance, looking for chemistry. I'm the guy that's kind of been tossed around a little bit all over the place so far, but it doesn't bother me."
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (5-5-3): Toronto coach Mike Babcock was succinct in summing up his team's disastrous performance after getting crowned by the Kings, saying that "We embarrassed ourselves here." Babcock likely won't get much of an argument from goaltender Frederik Andersen, who had a night he'd like to forget on Tuesday after permitting four goals on 26 shots before receiving the hook. The 27-year-old Dane has faced 141 shots on goal in his last four games and looks to remain perfect versus Philadelphia, against which he owns a 4-0-0 career mark with a 2.64 goals-against average.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol's line juggling on Thursday saw C Nick Cousins shuffled to the third line while LW Matt Read dropped from the first to the fourth line.
2. Toronto is a perfect 14-for-14 on the penalty kill in its last five contests
3. The Flyers will wear No. 88 jerseys during pregame on Friday to honor Eric Lindros, who will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.