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Preview: Calgary Flames @ Philadelphia Flyers 1/5/19 (43/82): WAKE UP! The Flames have an AM Tilt In Philly

The Flames will look to make the Flyers miserable season a little more miserable today.

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Calgary Flames @ Philadelphia Flyers, 11 AM MT, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia PA

TV: NHLN-US, SNW

Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 25-13-4 (54) – Philadelphia Flyers 15-20-5 (35)

NHL Standings

Rub the crust out of your eyes and put on a pot of coffee because the Flames are playing at 11 AM this morning in Philadelphia. Calgary will try to get back in the win column after a very disappointing 6-4 loss to the Bruins in Boston on Thursday night. Prior to that loss the Flames had won two straight, but they are still in a great position in the West. Calgary and Vegas are now tied for first with 54 points a piece. The Flames may get a boost today as David Rittich was back at practice after sitting out with a lower body injury for the last two games. Please, David Rittich, please be ready to go today.

The Flyers? They aren’t tied for first place, they’re 15th in the Eastern Conference. It’s been a disappointing season for Philadelphia that culminated with the firing of Dave Hasktol on December 17th. Since that bold move the Flyers have lost 6 out of their last 9, including losing four in a row. It also doesn’t help when you have goaltending issues. Philly just added Mike McKenna to their roster making him the 5th goalie to suit up for the Flyers this year. The Flyers special teams are also a total mess, ranking 28th in PK and 29th in PP%. They’ve also only lit the lamp 114 times times this season and are sporting a -34 goal differential on the year.

The Flyers probably still have a bad taste in the mouths after Calgary’s improbable 6-5 comeback OT win on December 12th. But fret not Philly fans, Calgary doesn’t exactly light it up when they visit the City Of Brotherly Love. The Flames are 21-41-3 all time when visiting Philadelphia and are 2-3-0 in their last five trips to the Flyers home barn.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E)- 13-4-3, 2.39 GAA, .920 Save%

Flyers: Hart (C)- 2-3-0, 2.78 GAA, .899 Save%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals- Gaudreau (23), Points- Gaudreau (61), PIM- Bennett (70), Save%- Rittich (.920)

Flyers: Goals- Couturier (16), Points- Giroux (46), PIM- Simmonds (53), Save%- Hart (.899)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Philadelphia Flyers Coverage: Broad Street Hockey

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 4 – Boston Bruins 6

Philadelphia Flyers 3 – Carolina Hurricanes 5

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Mikael Backlund (C): 9G – 12A, 3 points in last 5 games

Philadelphia Flyers

Claude Giroux (C): 13G – 33A, 4 points in last 5 games

by Mark Parkinson