Making sure they cling tight to the final playoff spot in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers won a third-consecutive game last Thursday over the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1.
Before right wing Wayne Simmonds dazzled hockey fans by scoring three goals and winning the All-Star MVP award in his first-ever appearance at the event this past weekend, the eight-year veteran was already having the best campaign of his career. He currently leads his team with 21 goals for the season, having found the back of the net at least once in each of Philly’s last three victories.
The Flyers also saw a bounce-back performance from backup goalie Michal Neuvirth last Thursday. Neuvirth stopped 27 of Toronto’s 28 shots after giving up a total of 15 goals in his last three losing starts.
Philadelphia would probably turn back to starter Steve Mason against the Hurricanes, but goal-tending is one weakness that it can admit to considering that the team is allowing an average of three goals to the opposition this season.
Instead, the Flyers must outscore Carolina this Tuesday night, and they’re certainly capable of doing so. Standouts Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek have combined for three goals and two assists in the first two meetings against the ‘Canes this season; both of which were won by Philly. Not only that, but the Flyers have also prevailed victorious in five of their last six meetings against Carolina.
Heading in the opposite direction, meanwhile, are the Carolina Hurricanes, who saw their losing streak reach a fifth contest with a 3-0 shutout at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings last Thursday.
The Hurricanes, who have scored no more than two goals in each of their five losses, are being gravely affected by the slump that star forward Jeff Skinner is in. Skinner currently leads his team with 17 goals this season, but he’s been held point-less over the last six games. Heck, he didn’t even have a shot-on-goal against Los Angeles.
Furthermore, Carolina’s net-minding has been disappointing just the same. Cam Ward made 26 saves against the Kings, but he’s now allowed an average of five goals across his last four starts – all of which resulted into losses for his team. Ward has a 10-15 record and 2.78 GAA lifetime versus Philadelphia, so we don’t expect him to play lights-out at all this Tuesday.
It’s rather strange that the ‘Canes are actually first in the league in penalty killing at 88.1 percent, simply because they’re a mere 20th for the season at 2.8 goals allowed per contest in general. Their defense in short-handed situations won’t serve them as well on Tuesday, as the Flyers went just 1-for-7 on with the man-advantage in their last three outings and still won all three of them.
And even though the Hurricanes have won six of their last eight games at home against Philly, there’s not a whole lot of other positive takeaways from them of late that would justify how they’ll be able to contain the red-hot Flyers.
Writer’s Prediction
The Flyers (+115) create more separation between them and the Hurricanes in the season standings, 3-1.
