Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Flyers trying to stop Florida streaks; Brian Elliott rolling

Containing sizzling forwards Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov will be a key Tuesday for the host Flyers if they are going to extend their points streak to seven games.

Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott stops Chicago's David Kampf en route to his first shutout of the season Saturday, a 4-0 win at the Wells Fargo Center.
Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott stops Chicago's David Kampf en route to his first shutout of the season Saturday, a 4-0 win at the Wells Fargo Center.Read moreYONG KIM

The Florida Panthers, who will play the Flyers on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center, are streaking … and so are many of their players.

Consider:

– Mike Hoffman has points in a career-high 12 straight games. The Panthers' record: points in 13 straight by Pavel Bure in 1999-00.

– Evgenii Dadonov has points in a career-best 11 games.

– Keith Yandle has points in seven straight games, a franchise record for a defenseman.

– Roberto Luongo has won three straight and needs 11 victories to pass Ed Belfour for third on the all-time NHL wins list among goaltenders. Luongo, 39, has a .952 save percentage in three games this season, and a .956 save percentage in even-strength situations.

The Panthers (6-5-3) have won four in a row, and they have at least one power-play goal in five straight.

"They're playing well," coach Dave Hakstol said after Tuesday's morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. "They're getting good production up front. The guys you would expect to be producing are for them, and they're playing hard in both directions. That's why they're having success."

The Flyers (9-7-1) have a few streaks of their own. They have points in six straight games (5-0-1) and have won three straight.

"Five on five, we've been able to get off to little better starts — at least statistically," said Hakstol, whose team has scored the first goal in the last six games. "We've gotten a little more scoring, probably a little more [production], depth-wise, and when you get Coots [Sean Couturier] and guys like that leading the way, that's also a difference-maker."

The Flyers have made a little tweak defensively "in terms of the reads we were asking guys to make" to reduce the odd-man rushes that plagued them earlier in the season, Hakstol said.

Goalie Brian Elliott has also played a key role in the surge. In his last five games, Elliott has a 1.32 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.

Elliott, who is 6-5 with a 2.67 GAA and .909 save percentage, will face Luongo (3-0, 1.42 GAA, .952 save percentage), who was injured and did not play when the Flyers edged the Panthers last month, 6-5, in a shootout.

Breakaways

Left winger James van Riemsdyk, who will miss his 16th game because of an injured right knee, won't play Tuesday, but Thursday (vs. New Jersey) is a possibility. … Claude Giroux needs one point to reach 700 in his career. "I've been lucky enough to play my whole career with good players," Giroux said. He also needs three assists to pass Brian Propp for second on the Flyers' all-time list. … Scott Laughton has six goals, all at even strength. His career high for even-strength goals is nine, set last season. …

The Flyers are expected to use the same lines and pairings that have played during their 5-0-1 run. When van Riemsdyk returns, Nic Aube-Kubel will probably be a healthy scratch. Even though he has played only 5:29 per game, Kubel said he has gained confidence in his first six NHL contests and feels he belongs in the league. The Flyers have not lost in regulation since Aube-Kubel was recalled form the AHL's Phantoms. … Aleksander Barkov (13 points) and Jonathan Huberdeau (14) are also dangerous players for the Panthers. …

Travis Konecny averages a team-high 0.83 points per game vs. Florida in his career. Shayne Gostisbehere has two goals and four assists in eight career games against Florida, the hometown team he rooted for as a youngster.