After last nights “Gritty” win over the Blues in overtime, the Flyers are right back at it tonight vs Montreal at home. Last night, true Flyers played a very good game with all 4 lines contributing, and some players lower in the lineup getting goals and making plays. Michael Raffl was one of them, scoring the Flyers 2nd goal, and thriving on a line with Couturier and Voracek.
After the game Raffl said “It’s a different feel and vibe in the room when we play the top teams. The boys showed up and were ready.”, the Flyers will have to play with the same energy tonight vs Montreal and can’t “play down” to them. This is the Flyers 6th back to back stint this season, where the Flyers have played Montreal twice this year, once in Philly on November 7th, where the Flyers won 3-2 in OT, where Carey Price had 40 saves while giving up a squeaker in OT. Then in Montreal on November 30th, with a highlight reel goal from Provorov to win it in OT for the Flyers, 4-3. The Flyers will look to sweep the season series tonight at home, where they are 15-3-4.
Brian Elliot was exceptionally well against his former team in St. Louis, but Alex Lyon will play his 1st game this season tonight, since both teams are not as strong as the last 4, and he has pretty good numbers with LV. This season, Lyon has a 9.16 SV%, and a 2.56 GAA. Justin Braun will be back on Saturday night vs LA as well.
Joel Farabee has been activated into the lineup tonight as well since Chris Stewart cleared waivers, and he was sent to Lehigh Valley. The Flyers will most likely go with the same top 2 lines as they did vs the Blues. Kevin Hayes centering Travis Konecny and Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier centering Jake Voracek and Michael Raffl. The 3rd and 4th may be switched up with Farabee in the lineup tonight as well. Points are huge for the Flyers right now, and after beating 3 of the 4 best teams in the league, the momentum has to continue into tonight.
Philadelphia Sports Chronicle 