Put a pin down right here in the middle of February. This is the point where the Flyers make sure that we can’t have nice things here at the corner of 7th and Hamilton. Read on for that news, and a preview of tonight’s game:
Mid-Week Losses
Following the Saturday 3-0 win over Bridgeport last weekend, the Flyers started taking players (see below) and a short-handed bunch–some battling illness–headed down to Tobacco Road for a mid-week pair with the Checkers, and lost both by a combined 7-3 score. When they departed for North Carolina, they were just points from third place in the AHL Atlantic. Now, following the two regulation losses, they seem poised to slip behind red-hot Springfield and a hard-charging Bridgeport club, unless they can get things turned around here starting tonight.
Roster Moves
LW Kieffer Bellows came down from Philadelphia for last Saturday’s game, but returned to the Flyers on Monday. He took goalie Sam Ersson with him. It’s not clear what plans Philadelphia has for Sandstrom, as the Flyers are currently carrying three goalies. As you recall, F Olle Lycksell was already in Philadelphia, and D Linus Hogberg returned to Sweden. D Mason Millman, F Alex Kile and F Charlie Gerard have been promoted to the Phantoms from the ECHL as replacements.
In a bit of good news, G Troy Grosenick returned from an injury he suffered back in October. We had heard that his long-term injury was threatening his season, so it’s good to have him back.
Here are the lines from Wednesday in Charlotte; Desnoyers was a notable scratch:
20 Willman – 51 Anisimov – 71 Foerster
17 Wilson – 9 O’Reilly – 25 Marody
18 J Cates – 24 Brooks – 23 Brink
13 Fitzgerald – 39 Gerard – 14 Wisdom
4 Zamula – 47 Belpedio
44 Connauton – 3 Karashik
29 Wylie – 12 Attard
35 Nagle (1 Grosenick)
GAME DAY!
It’s a white out weekend inside the PPL Center, even if there’s no white stuff outside! Bring socks tonight for the “sock drive.” Good seats are still available for this game and start at about $9 on the secondary market.
Attrition is something today’s opponent knows plenty about. Pittsburgh has been raiding the hated Wilkes-Barre Penguins quite a bit this season, to the point that they dropped into last place in the division briefly last week. They’ve since pulled back ahead of Hartford, but are 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games. Their power play has been somewhat anemic, ranked 21st in the league while their PK is 26th as an Away team. Their netminding has been somewhat questionable with the absence of our old friend Dustin Tokarski.
The Phantoms are 3-2-0-1 versus the hated Penguins this season.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Dre Barone (#55)
Referee: Jake Kamrass (#3)
Linesperson: Bob Goodman (#90)
Linesperson: Michael Magee (#41)
MEDIA KIT (rosters, records, etc.)
What To Watch
- Watch to see if there are any late roster moves. I’ll update above. I’m expecting the Flyers to create havoc with our roster over the next two weeks. The NHL trade deadline is March 3.
- Watch to see if Grosenick starts in net. He was in on Tuesday then off on Wednesday.
- What do you think of the “white out” kit? I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. I think I like it better than the orange “color rush.”
- Take a look at the lines tonight. I’m not sure I like the veterans O’Reilly and Wilson on the same line. Can Brink play his way into one of the upper groups? I know lines aren’t numbered like they are in the NHL, but they still kinda are.
- Watch meLVin. How’s he looking with a little age on him? His birthday is tomorrow. I’m not sure the longevity of pladottles.
Up Next
Back here tomorrow afternoon for meLVin’s birthday, versus Hartford. I’m looking forward to seeing all the mascots together, especially Ferrous and Fefe if they’re not too busy getting ready for the baseball season to attend.
The Hamilton Street Heroes will then head out on the road for four games before returning on Saturday and Sunday March 4th and 5th versus Toronto and Providence.
See you at the arena,
@Kram207