QUICK STATS
Season Series: 0-1-0
All-Time Record: 99gp (53-34-7-5)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - Sean Couturier: 49-pts (15g-34a)
FLA - Jonathan Huberdeau: 68-pts (19g-49a)
1. HERE'S THE SITUATION
The Flyers face off against one of the main teams they are in a fight for a playoff spot in the Florida Panthers...The Flyers sit just outside the playoff picture with 67 points (same as Carolina who owns the tiebreaker), one point behind the Islanders (68) in the first wild card and two behind the Blue Jackets (69) for third place in the Metro... The Panthers come in chasing the wild card and Atlantic Division third seed with 64 points, but have played less games than all the teams above them - a regulation win tonight would move them one point behind the wild card and in a tie for third place with Toronto (66) in the Atlantic... A win of any kind for the Flyers, combined with an Islanders (at Washington) regulation loss will vault them into the first wild card spot.
2. BACK TO BACK... AND BACK AGAIN
The Flyers play the first of a back-to-back tonight, followed by a return meeting with the Panthers in Florida three days from now to complete the season series on Feb. 13... Tonight is the 100th all-time meeting against the Florid Panthers, as well as the second meeting of the year, but first and only meeting in Philly... The Flyers dropped a 5-2 decision in Florida on Nov. 19 and have lost three straight, as well as five of their last six against the Panthers dating back to December of 2017... Despite their recent record, the Flyers have been successful at home against the Panthers, winning five of their last six and earning at least a point in 8 of 9 meetings at the Wells Fargo Center, going 7-1-1.
3. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY
The Flyers enter tonight winning three of their last four games and earning points in eight of their last 10 games, going 7-2-1, which is T-4th best in the NHL since Jan. 13... They dropped their last home game, but have not lost two straight home games since November and have not lost two straight in regulation at home all season long... After winning six in-a-row from Jan. 9-21, the Panthers have dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1), including their last three games entering tonight... Florida has not lost four straight games, in any fashion, all season.
4. COMPLETELY RANDOM
The Panthers lead the Eastern Conference, and rank 2nd in the NHL, for most goals scored in the second period (75), while the Flyers rank 3rd in the NHL for most goals scored in the third period (69)... The Flyers (20-0-2) and Panthers (22-0-1) are 2 of just 5 teams in the NHL who have not lost in regulation when leading after the second period this season... The Panthers have six players who have scored 15 or more goals this season, which is tied for most in the NHL (Vancouver), while the Flyers have four players with 15 or more.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (C: #14 - Sean Couturier)
Coming off his fourth three-point game of the New Year, and second of the month, Couturier has 19 points (5g-14a) in 15 games since Jan. 1 - his 14 assists are T-4th among all NHL players... Couturier is also looking for his 150th goal and is eight points shy of 400 in his career... The Flyers are 10-2-1 when he scores a goal.
PANTHERS (G: #72 - Sergei Bobrovsky)
Should he get the call, it will be his 500th NHL game against the team he played his 1st NHL game for (Oct. 7, 2010 at PIT)... He owns 275 wins, which is 3rd all-time among Russian goaltenders... Tonight would also be his ninth straight start in net... Bobrovsky has also been highly successful against the Flyers, posting a 15-3-1 record with a 2.13 GAA and .928 save percentage in 19 meetings.
