Flyers-Bruins preview: Can the Flyers end their nine-game losing streak?
The Flyers will be looking to snap a nine-game losing streak against a Bruins team that has won five of its last six.
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Bruins (11-8-4) at Flyers (8-10-7)
WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Wells Fargo Center
BROADCAST & STREAMING: TV — NBCSP; Radio — 97.5 FM.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: Twitter, @BroadStBull; @samdonnellon; @sjnard.
KEY PLAYERS: Boston is coming off Wednesday's 3-2 home win over Tampa Bay, the Bruins fifth victory in their last six games. Rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy, 19, played a game-high 28 minutes, 11 seconds and contributed a goal and an assist, while having a plus-2 rating. Not surprisingly, he is first among NHL rookies in minutes per game (23:42).
Left winger Brad Marchand, who had missed the previous six gamed due to an undisclosed injury, contributed two assists.
Goalie Tuukka Rask snapped a three-game losing streak by making 19 saves and earning his first win since Nov. 5. Fellow goalie Anton Khoudobin is 7-0-2 with 2.22 goals against average and .932 save percentage.
Right winger David Pastrnak leads the Bruins in both goals (12) and points (21).
The Flyers have lost nine in a row, although they have picked up five points, with one in a shootout loss and the other four in overtime defeats. During this streak, the Flyers have been outscored 14-2 after the second period.
The Flyers most recent game, Tuesday's 3-1 loss to San Jose, has been the worst in this nine-game stretch. Trailing 3-1 entering the third period, the Flyers went the first 17 plus minutes without a shot.
After the game the players had a closed-door meeting.
On the positive side, Flyers center Sean Couturier has a team-high 14 goals, just one shy of his career high that he accomplished in 82 games during the 2014-2015 season.
COACHES: Boston, Bruce Cassidy (2nd season, 29-16-5; overall, 76-63-12 (9 ties); Flyers, Dave Hakstol (3rd season, 88-70-31).
THINGS TO KNOW: The Flyers have held leads in their last seven games, including two-goal advantages in four of those games…Claude Giroux, who scored the lone goal in Tuesday's loss, has points in five consecutive games (2 goals, five assists) and is a plus-1 in those games…Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has launched The GhostBear Foundation. The mission is to provide support and encouragement to organizations motivating young athletes aspiring to have professional, or collegiate, hockey careers. The efforts focus within the communities of South Florida, Philadelphia and Schenectady, NY. For more information: https://www.ghostbearfoundation.org.
HEAD TO HEAD: This is the first game this season between these two teams. The Bruins hold a 68-93-10 record with also 21 ties. Boston was 2-1 last year against the Flyers.
COMING FLYERS GAMES
Monday, Dec. 4 at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 7 at Vancouver, 10 p.m.