The game: 10:00 p.m. ET, NBCSP, 93.3 WMMR
Our pain is almost over. No more mornings will we be suffering due to trying to stay up late to watch the first couple games of a new era of Philadelphia Flyers hockey. No more late nights, pounding back coffee around 9:00 p.m. because we want to see Matvei Michkov take the ice and do some cool things. This will be the last time for a little bit.
The Flyers are in Seattle taking on the Kraken on Thursday night, and it will be the final 10:00 p.m. ET puck drop until January 2, when they are in Las Vegas. This rendezvous in the Pacific Northwest is the penultimate Flyers After Dark matchup and then we can experience the peace of a hockey game featuring our favorite team ending before we typically hit the hay.
Now what should this game feature? It is seventh time these two teams will meet and the Flyers have a 3-2-1 record against the Kraken — both regulation losses coming during the 2022-23 season, and then it was taking seven of the eight available points in the other two campaigns. Maybe, just maybe, the Flyers happen to have the Kraken’s number.
Coming into tonight, the Flyers are most likely not changing a whole lot. They have been battling hard on this roadtrip and before the home opener on Saturday, they might want to keep the status quo. But who knows with this wacky bunch.
Players to watch
Owen Tippett
Tippett is an incredibly important player if this whole thing is going to work out. His mix of speed and size has been well-documented, but the hard thing is that it just doesn’t feel like it’s clicking quite yet. In 53 minutes of action so far this season, the 25-year-old winger has registered nine shots on goal, 21 shot attempts, 10 scoring chances, but just one high-danger chance. He is sticking to what was the major concern for him: Perimeter offense.
Tippett just really needs to use his body to get to the dirty areas of the ice and fire home a couple goals, right now. So many of his chances are low-danger and don’t really have a chance of going in unless there is some crazy and goalie-distracting traffic in front of the net.
But, we’ll keep it positive and that all it takes is a very good game to feel great about the player again, and Tippett feels like he’s on the verge of a two-goal performance sometime soon.
Matvei Michkov
And speaking of two goals, Michkov should be looking to build upon his brace in Edmonton. He has earned two goals and three points through the first three games of his NHL career and is looking like the most talented player on the ice very often.
Can he do the same thing in Seattle? He has already been up against two playoff teams in Vancouver and Edmonton, and now is playing against a team that found themselves far out of the postseason last year. Basically, just keep on doing what you’re doing Matvei and it will be a joy to watch. Maybe he’ll just have a permanent spot in this section for all 82 games.
Shane Wright
On the other side of the ice, one of the more interesting stories has to be Shane Wright. One of the top picks a couple years ago, he found his career start slower than most assumed. After having a fairly successful season down in AHL Coachella Valley, Wright has made the Kraken roster out of camp but is without any points through the first four games. But, he has earned a spot on the top line and should have some production sooner rather than later. Let’s just hope his breakout doesn’t come against the Flyers.
Projected lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Owen Tippett — Morgan Frost — Matvei Michkov
Joel Farabee — Jett Luchanko — Travis Konecny
Tyson Foerster — Sean Couturier — Bobby Brink
Noah Cates — Scott Laughton — Garnet Hathaway
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Erik Johnson – Jamie Drysdale
Egor Zamula – Rasmus Ristolainen
Ivan Fedotov
(Sam Ersson)
Seattle Kraken
Jared McCann — Shane Wright — Jordan Eberle
Eeli Tolvanen — Matty Beniers — Andre Burakovsky
Jaden Schwartz — Chandler Stephenson — Oliver Bjorkstrand
Tye Kartye — Yanni Gourde — Brandon Tanev
Vince Dunn — Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak — Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans — Will Borgen
Joey Daccord
(Philipp Grubauer)
