Game Thread Flyers vs Flames - 2/25/2012

[Digityman]

From Meltzer

PREVIEW 9:30 AM EST

Two clubs that are not feeling very good about themselves of late will meet up tonight at the Scotiabank Saddledome, where the visiting Philadelphia Flyers (33-20-7) will take on the Calgary Flames (28-23-10). The game starts at 10 p.m. EST and will be broadcast locally on CSN Philly.

This is the lone meeting of the season between the two teams. Philadelphia last played Calgary in last season's Black Friday matinee on Wells Fargo Center ice. The Flames captured a 3-2 shootout win in a game best remembered for Philadelphia having an overtime goal disallowed because Chris Pronger was cited for the "Avery Rule" in distracting goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff in front of the net.

The Flyers enter this game coming off a miserable outing in Edmonton. Not only did the team get blanked, 2-0, but they got badly outskated and outworked over the final 40 minutes of the game. Ilya Bryzgalov's decent overall performance was just about the lone bright spot for Philly. In the meantime, the Philadelphia penalty kill continued to struggle. Overall, the Flyers are just 3-6-1 over their last 10 games.

Calgary also recently suffered a humiliating loss (6-1) to Edmonton and is coming off a shootout loss to Phoenix. Had the Flames defeated the Coyotes, Calgary (and not Dallas) would have moved up into the eighth and final playoff-position spot in the ongoing battle among postseason bubble teams. Overall, the Flames are 5-1-4 in their last 10 games.

On the injury front, the Flyers' Sean Couturier is day-to-day with a lower body injury. Per NHL.com, Calgary's Chris Butler is out up to three weeks as a result of a skate cut on his thigh suffered in Tuesday's game, while Mikael Backlund (shoulder) and Lee Stempniak (high ankle sprain) are out until mid-March. David Moss (broken foot) may be ready to return in two weeks.

I will post lineups in an update later today.

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Five years ago yesterday, the Flyers acquired Braydon Coburn from the Atlanta Thrashers. Believe it or not, Coburn is now the longest-tenured player on the team. Tonight marks a homecoming of sorts for him, as he was born (but not raised) in Calgary.

Back in January, the Flyers asked me to do an article on "Coby," which is now online at Flyers.nhl.com. I talked to him about his learning experiences and the ways his life has changed -- both on an off the ice -- since coming to Philadelphia, as well as his new contract and the current season.

Because the interview was conducted (and the article last updated) prior to the Flyers' trades to acquire Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina, some of the material in the article is now a little out-of-date. Overall, however, I think it's good insight into Coburn, who is a delight to talk to and just a quality personal overall.

[sarsippius]

With the inconsistent efforts this schizophrenic team has been putting out since the holidays, the only thing that excites me about this game is that it's another late EST start, which allows me to actually watch a game in relative peace since the kids will be in bed!

Ok I'm being facetious, but really another second period period belly up like Thursday is unacceptable. Will be interesting to see if we can actually get 60 minutes out of these guys, it's late February time to show some cajones.

[doom88]

You know how people are (rightfully) making a big deal about the Flyers not winning two straight since Jan 10 - 12? Well, Bob started and won them both. Interesting. Although it was Carolina and NYI, at least Philly beat teams they should for a change.

[sarsippius]

They've been losing both ends of this EDM-CAL double header since the early 80s.....or at least that's how I remember it