The Flyers got a win last night over the Anaheim Ducks in the first match of their West Coast jaunt, but tonight they face a team that blew their doors off ten days ago: the Los Angeles Kings.
Okay, saying they got their doors blown off isn’t exactly fair, as ugly as the 7-3 box score looks. The Flyers hung right with the Kings for about two periods, but an ill-advised play by Aleksei Kolosov led to an Anze Kopitar goal late in the second period that knocked the wind right out of the Flyers’ sails. If the Flyers can put together a game like they did last time, then they’ve got a chance to unseat one of the top teams in the Pacific Division, though the second game of a road back-to-back is usually a scheduled loss.
Lucky for the Flyers, this is the second half of a back-to-back for the Kings as well–and they scraped out a tough overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers last night. Beating the Oilers is no small task, so maybe LA will be feeling that fatigue, and the Flyers can pounce. Not much has changed for LA otherwise since the Flyers last saw them; they’re tied for second in the Pacific and are 6-2-2 in their last 10, despite injuries piling up.
More interesting for Flyers fans may be the continuation of trade rumors swirling around these two teams. With hockey back from the break, that means the trade freeze is over, and we already saw one trade this weekend between the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators. Could the Flyers and Kings be sitting on a deal, and waiting for this game to be over to pull the trigger? That’d certainly be fun, and would save a flight–whoever got traded could just fly out with the Flyers.
Storylines to Watch
Noah Cates: Future 1C??????
Couturier's first 205 games: 30 G, 51 A, 81 PTS Cates' first 189 games: 31 G, 47 A, 78 PTS
— Ryan Gilbert (@ryangilbert.bsky.social) December 28, 2024 at 5:15 PM
We joke, of course, but there’s no denying Cates has been on a tear this month. He’s got goals in five straight games, has sustained his usual impressive play driving numbers, and has been doing it all at center when it looked like he was going to be a winger long term. Even Torts has been impressed.
Tortorella on Cates: "I’m proud of him. Very quiet kid, and out of the lineup at the beginning of the year. He takes it and he just gets himself ready and I think has established himself as a really good player."
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) December 29, 2024
⤵️ https://t.co/O191wD458H
Tonight, can Cates make it a six-game goal streak? That’d be fun!
Matvei Michkov: Bust????????
Make that seven straight without a point for the budding star, and another third period benching.
Matvei Michkov did not play in the third period, which included a #Flyers power play.
— Jackie Spiegel (@jackiespiegel93) December 29, 2024
"My decision," said coach John Tortorella.
Full quote: pic.twitter.com/uI0REQjeNY
Eighty-two games is a lot, and it’s clear that Michkov is struggling with the demands of a full NHL season in his rookie year–and that’s okay! Some load management may be necessary to get him back on track, but it is disappointing to see that the holiday break wasn’t enough rest. We can quibble about benchings, but keeping Michkov off the power play is certainly a choice, considering how weak this team’s power play continues to be.
Bobby Brink: Bobby Orr????????
Normally, we wouldn’t highlight two players on the same line, but the Flyers’ third line of Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink and Noah Cates is clicking, folks. Like Noah Cates, Bobby Brink has been outstanding the past couple weeks.
Noah Cates with FIVE goals in FIVE games. makes it 1-0 PHI. pic.twitter.com/tNHBO4BW4g
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 28, 2024
Brink did impressive work to set up that Cates goal against Anaheim, and his instincts in the offensive zone are going to be what makes him a solid NHL player. What’s also worth mentioning is Brink’s improved impact in his own end; he’s looked much more engaged defensively, and that energy is translating to improved results with the puck, too.
Projected Lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Scott Laughton – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett – Morgan Frost – Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Joel Farabee – Ryan Poehling – Garnet Hathaway
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Egor Zamula – Rasmus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Aleksei Kolosov
(Sam Ersson)
LA Kings
Alex Turcotte – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegle – Quinton Byfield – Tanner Jeannot
Kevin Fiala – Alex Laferriere – Andre Lee
Akil Thomas – Samuel Helenius – Kyle Burroughs
Mikey Anderson – Vladislav Gavrikov
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Jacob Moverare – Jordan Spence
David Rittich
(Darcy Keumper)
Gameday Tunes
The Flyers must’ve sent some warmth from California to Philadelphia, because it is downright balmy in Philly today–beautiful weather for an Eagles tailgate (pay no attention to the fact that it’s over 60 on the cusp of January, this is totally normal). It might not be quite warm enough to cruise around, windows down, blasting this track, but it’s dang close.
Stats via Hockey Reference
