Flyers, 'Big Buff' in rematch
Flyers coach Craig Berube respects Dustin Byfuglien and, truth be told, would love to see the beefy Winnipeg defenseman him wearing orange and black.
But he surely doesn't like how he manhandles the Flyers.
Last month, Berube and the player they call "Big Buff" got into an on-ice shouting match after the Flyers' 4-3 win in Winnipeg.
Part II is Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
In that Dec. 21 win by the Flyers, Byfuglien constantly threw his 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame at Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Brayden Schenn, et al.
Giroux, a 5-foot-11, 172-pound center who has been the NHL's leading scorer over the last four-plus seasons, absorbed at least a half-dozen hits from Byfuglien, who weighs 88 pounds more than the Flyers' captain.
The Flyers never retaliated, though it seemed Berube wanted a piece of Byfuglien. Incensed at what he perceived as a "high elbow" thrown at Giroux, he screamed at Byfuglien after the game.
Instead of getting chippy with Byfuglien that night, the Flyers played smart hockey, and Giroux forced the defenseman into a mistake behind his net that led to Voracek's goal 10 seconds into overtime.
The rematch should be interesting.
Modest streak. The Flyers have a chance to extend their modest winning streak to three straight, which would equal a season high.
The Jets have been dominant on the road and against the Eastern Conference. They lead the NHL with 33 road points, thanks to a 14-6-5 record, and are 13-5-4 overall against East teams.
Winnipeg (26-15-8) holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, while the Flyers (20-22-7) are 10 points out of a playoff position in the East and have little margin for error. According to Sports Club Stats, the Flyers have a 2.2 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The Flyers should again expect a physical game. In their 5-3 loss in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the Jets and Penguins combined for 112 hits. Winnipeg had a 58-52 edge.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the NHL's highest hit total since Nov. 11, 1999, when Washington and the Rangers combined for 112.
The Jets rank fourth in the NHL _ behind Los Angeles, Toronto and Pittsburgh _ in recorded hits with 1,469. Byfuglein, an all-star defenseman this season, and Adam Lowry lead the way with 148 hits.
The Flyers are eighth in the 30-team lead with 1,376 hits. Luke Schenn (130) and Zac Rinado (127) are the team's leaders in that category. Rinaldo will miss the second game of his NHL-mandated eight-game suspension for an illegal hit on the Penguins' Kris Letang.
Kane rolling. Winnipeg winger Evander Kane, who has drawn trade inquiries from the Flyers in the past, has seven points in his last eight games, including three assists against the Penguins on Tuesday.
Voracek still No. 1. Voracek leads the NHL in points (57) and assists (40), and Giroux is third with 52 points, including a league-best 25 on the power play.
Byfuglien sizzling. The versatile Byfuglien moved from wing back to defense on Dec. 5, and he has recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 23 games since that date.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.