Preview: We can’t keep meeting like this

The Flyers and Pens will meet again today, continuing this week’s three game series with one final tiebreaker. In a matchup between two teams neck-in-neck in the standings, this tiebreaker could be crucial in determining the playoff seeding for the East division. What’re the things to look for, who’s returning to the lineup, and what should you expect? All of that (plus music) is below.

The Flyers

I’m gonna keep it brief in these sections because not much has changed since the last game for either team. The big differences for Philly? They enter today with significantly more confidence and get the added boost of Joel Farabee’s return to the lineup.

Also worthy of note is the promotion of Nate Prosser from the taxi squad to the active roster. Phil Myers is likely nursing an injury from the previous game, hence the move. Brian Elliott will get the start in goal for the Flyers, giving Carter Hart time to rest for tomorrow’s game against the Islanders.

The Penguins

Pittsburgh will see Tristan Jarry make his third start in as many games; the Pens got an outstanding performance from their goaltender in the previous two games, but he could show signs of fatigue now that he’s played a number of starts in a row. The Penguins also get their second game with Sidney Crosby active in this series, boosting their already formidable firepower. Not much else to say here.

Three Big Things

1. While I enjoy a comeback win as much as anyone, maybe spare everyone the heart attacks and jump out to a lead early. The Flyers will be missing Phil Myers on defense again, and while he hasn’t been an impact player by any means he’s still better than Nate Prosser. Getting the scoring going early will be key in winning a run-and-gun style game.
2. Do we see the team play with a good process for a full 60 minutes? Games where the Flyers have outright controlled play have been few and far between, so it’ll be interesting to see if they finally put it all together after their benchmark victory on Thursday.
3. How does Elliott’s rebound control look? I found that when Elliott started to get overused as a backup under Dave Hakstol, the first thing to go haywire was his ability to swallow shots. While he’s not exactly getting a heavy workload at the moment, he’s not a spring chicken and it’s something worth keeping an eye on.

Gameday Tunes

Classic rock bangers are a good way to get ready for puck drop.

Happy gameday everyone, and as always, go Flyers.