Game Forty-Three: Tampa Bay Lightning (26-13-3) at Philadelphia Flyers (22-12-8)

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Motown Philly back again…doing a little east coast swing

TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, NBCSP, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App

Odds: Lightning -180

Know the Opponents: Broad Street Hockey

After a couple of days off to bask in the glow of their win over the Colorado Avalanche, the Tampa Bay Lightning kick off a five-game road trip in Philadelphia. Where they will play again on Monday. It’s a nice little schedule quirk in the midst of one the road-heaviest portions of the Lightning schedule.

It won’t be an easy brace of games in Philly as the Flyers have turned into a playoff-style team under Rick Tocchet. They’re tough to score against (2.79 GA/G is 9th) and have some electric young scoring talent in Trevor Zegras (41 points in 42 games) and Matvei Michkov (23 points as a rookie). They aren’t necessarily a young team, but they do have a crop of players in their mid-to-late 20s that are coming into their own in Bobby Brink, Travis Konecny, and Own Tippett.

They are also tough at home with a 12-5-5 record where they are only allowing 2.55 GA/G. No team allows fewer high-danger chances on home ice than the Flyers at 9.5/60. This is not going to be a walk in the park for the Bolts as it might have been in years past.

It is going to be a bit of a rock versus bigger rock match-up as the Lightning are the most prolific road scoring team in the league this season at 3.82 GF/60. Take a minute and let that soak in. The Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that has spent the last two seasons scuffling when away from the comforts of home, are scoring almost 4 goals a game on the road.

Not only that, they are first in goals-against at 2.40/60 as well. And they are a top-four team in scoring chances against (26.49) and high-danger chances against (11.03). We don’t have PhD, but we’re smart enough to know that scoring a lot and not giving up a lot of goals leads to success.

So, expect this game to be a bit of a grind with a lot of play along the boards and away from the middle of the ice. The team that is able to win the net-front battles is likely going to come out on top. The Bolts, thanks to the recent run of success on the power play (28.3% since December 9) have the edge on the special teams. If they can stay out of the box while forcing Philadelphia to take penalties, that could be the difference in the game.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, who won his first career game in Philadelphia, is fond of the Flyers, posting a 16-4-1 record with a .935 SV% and 1.98 GAA. Fun fact, the Lightning goalie with the second most wins against Philadelphia – Anders Lindback. During his brief time in Tampa he went 5-1-0 with a .931 SV% and 2.01 GAA. How about that?

The drive to the Olympic break begins tonight, if the Bolts can continue to find ways to munch up points, it’ll put them in a good spot for the crush of games that comes after the break.

Potential Lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards:

Brandon HagelAnthony CirelliJake GuentzelGage GoncalvesBrayden PointNikita KucherovZemgus GirgensonsYanni GourdePontus HolmbergNick PaulDominic JamesOliver Bjorkstrand

Defense:

J.J. MoserDarren RaddyshCharle-Edouard D’AstousErik CernakDeclan CarlileMax Crozier

Goaltenders:

Andrei VasilevskiyJonas Johansson

Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards:

Trevor ZegrasChristian DvorakTravis KonecnyDenver BarkeySean CouturierOwen TippettMatvei MichkovNoah CatesCarl GrunstromNikita GrebenkinRodrigo AbelsGarnet Hathaway

Defense:

Cam YorkTravis SanheimNick SeelerRasmus RistolainenEmil AndraeNoah Juulsen

Goaltenders: