NHL Preview: Philadelphia Flyers (11-15-7) at Toronto Maple Leafs (20-7-6)

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS NOTES:

UPCOMING GAMES
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME BROADCAST INFO.
Fri., Dec. 23 Carolina Hurricanes PNC Arena 7 p.m. NBCSP+, 93.3 WMMR
Thur., Dec. 29 San Jose Sharks SAP Center at San Jose 10:30 p.m. NBCSP, 97.5 The Fanatic
Sat., Dec. 31 Los Angeles Kings Crypto.com Arena 4 p.m. NBCSP, 97.5 The Fanatic

CURRENT INJURIES
PLAYER INJURY DATES GAMES MISSED
Cam Atkinson IR-upper body 9/25-present 33
Sean Couturier IR-back 9/19-present 33
Ryan Ellis LTIR-groin/hip/back 10/11-present 33
Tanner Laczynski IR-lower body 12/7-present 7
Max Willman upper body 12/15-present 3
2022-23 TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 190

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
12/21 – Recalled G Samuel Errson from Lehigh Valley (AHL)
12/17 – Re-assigned F Kieffer Bellows and F Olle Lycksell to Lehigh Valley (AHL)
12/17 – Placed F Lukas Sedlak on unconditional waivers; Recalled F Kieffer Bellows from Lehigh Valley (AHL); Placed; F Cam Atkinson on Injured Reserve; Activated D Tony DeAngelo from Non-Roster status

FLYERS VS. MAPLE LEAFS: HEAD-TO-HEAD
FLYERS MAPLE LEAFS
100-63-27 ALL-TIME RECORD 68-93-29
58-27-10 HOME 39-38-18
42-36-17 ROAD 29-55-11
1-4-0 LAST 5 MEETINGS 4-1-0
3-6-1 LAST 10 MEETINGS 7-1-2
648 GOALS SCORED 536
25.5% POWER PLAY 23.5%
76.5% PENALTY KILL 74.5%
Konecny: 14 pts (4-10=14) in 16 GP
Hayes: 11 pts (4-7=11) in 20 GP
Ristolainen: 11 pts (1-10=11) in 28 GP

TEAM SCORING LEADERS Tavares: 42 pts (23-19=42) in 50 GP
Nylander: 16 pts (8-8=16) in 16 GP
Matthews: 13 pts (5-8=13) in 13 GP
Marner: 13 pts (3-10=13) in 15 GP
Hart: 2-2-0, 3.43 GAA, .893 SV% in 4 GP
Ersson: Has not faced TOR

TEAM GOALTENDERS Samsonov: 8-1-0,, 2.30 GAA, .919 SV% in 10 GP
Murray: 5-2-2, 2.59 GAA, .928 SV% in 12 GP

2022-23 SEASON SERIES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
November 2 Scotiabank Arena TOR (5), PHI (2)
December 22 Scotiabank Arena 2 p.m.
January 8 Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m.

TEAM NOTES
QUICK HITS

• Philadelphia has earned points in five of its last eight games (3-3-2).
• The Flyers set a season-high 41 shots Dec. 11 at ARI and have outshot their opponents in seven of the last 11 games, posting a 3-3-1 record in those seven contests.
• Philadelphia has allowed the opposing team to score first in 23 of its 33 games this season. The Flyers rank T-1st in the NHL with eight wins when trailing first in a game. The Flyers are 3-5-2 when scoring first.
• Philadelphia recorded a franchise-best 59 hits Nov. 12 vs. OTT. The 59 hits are tied for the ninth-most in a regular season game in NHL history.
• The Flyers lead the NHL with 992 hits and rank second with 599 blocked shots.
• Philadelphia ranks T-3rd in the NHL in shorthanded goals (4) this season. The team netted six SHG during the 2021-22 season.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

• Philadelphia will play its next five games on the road (Dec. 22-Jan. 2).
• Nine of the Flyers’ 11 games from Dec. 9-Jan. 2 are on the road.
• Philadelphia is 4-6-6 on the road this season and have earned a point in seven of its last 11 road games (2-4-5).
• The Flyers are 2-3-1 on the road against an Atlantic Division team this season.

BACK-TO-BACKS

• Thursday’s and Friday’s games this week mark the Flyers’ sixth back-to-back set of 15 this season.
• The set marks the third of four road back-to-backs this season:

1. Oct. 18 at TBL (3-2 W); Oct. 19 at FLA (4-3 L)
2. Nov. 1 at NYR (1-0 OTL); Nov. 2 at TOR (5-2 L)
3. Dec. 22 at TOR; Dec. 23 at CAR
4. Feb. 20 at CGY; Feb. 21 at EDM

• The Flyers are 2-2-1 in the first game of a back-to-back this season and 0-5-0 in the second.

‘TIS THE SEASON

• Philadelphia plays three games this week (12/20-12/23) heading into the NHL Holiday break. The Flyers are a combined 6-0-1 in the three games leading up to the NHL Holiday break since 2019-20, not including the 2020-21 season.
• The Flyers play 14 contests during the month of December, tied for their second-most in a month this season.
• Philadelphia will play six games at home and eight on the road, including the start to five road games in a row, Dec. 22-Jan. 2, that will be split up by the NHL Holiday Break, Dec. 24-26.
• Philadelphia owns a 355-226-82-32 all-time record for games played in the month of December – its second-most wins in a single month.
• The Flyers rank second in NHL history with a .593 winning percentage during the month of December (VGK – .712 in 66 all-time games) and rank seventh with 355 December wins.
• The December schedule also features Philadelphia’s 21st all-time game held on New Year’s Eve, it’s 20th on the road, when the Flyers visit the Kings on Dec. 31. Philadelphia is 9-7-2-2 all-time in New Year’s Eve contests, 8-7-2-2 on the road.

JvR

• James van Riemsdyk recorded his seventh assist of the season Tuesday for his second point in as many games (1- 1=2).
• He owns seven points (3-4=7) in the last five games.
• The winger tied his career-high four points (1-3=4) for the third time on Dec. 11 at ARI.
• He missed 20 games this season due to an upper-body injury, Oct. 27-Dec. 5.
• The 33-year-old opened the season on a four-game point streak (2-3=5), Oct. 13-19.

LOCKED ON LAUGHTON

• Scott Laughton tallied an assist Tuesday to extend his point streak to a season-high three games (2-1=3).
• The 28-year-old owns six points (3-3=6) in the last eight games.
• He ranks T-3rd in the NHL with two shorthanded goals. He ranks first in Flyers history in SHG since entering the League in 2012-13 with six, T-20th all-time.
• He leads the team in faceoff wins (207), ranks third in hits (72), T-3rd in PPG, T-4th in goals (6) and fifth in shots (67) this season.
• He scored his second career power-play goal Dec. 15 in New Jersey. He netted his first career PPG this season on Oct. 27 vs. FLA.
• He recorded a career-high 19 faceoff wins, Oct. 27 vs. FLA.
• The forward registered his second career shorthanded goal, Oct. 15 vs. VAN.

KONNECT FOUR

• Travis Konecny netted two goals Tuesday vs. CBJ for his 12th career multi-goal game, second this season. His first goal scored marked his first career shorthanded goal while his second goal marked his fourth game-winning goal of the season.
• He has nine points (7-2=9) in the last 10 games, including two power-play points (1-1=2).
• He owns 22 points (10-12=22) in his last 21 games, including five multi-point contests and a seven-game point streak (3-7=10), Nov. 2-15.
• He leads the team and ranks T-8th in the NHL in GWG. He leads the Flyers in goals (14), ranks T-1st in multi-point games (8) and second in assists (14), points (28) and shots (89) this season.
• He tallied three goals in a season-high three-game goal streak, Dec. 1-5.
• The forward recorded his first career shorthanded assist/point vs. VAN (10/15).
• The 25-year-old netted two goals Oct. 13 vs. NJ for his 11th career multi-goal game. Per NHL Stats, he became the second player in Flyers history to have two-or-more multi-goal games in a season opener (Bill Barber, 3x, 10/9/80, 10/9/81 & 10/7/82).
• He ranks second in Flyers history in GWG (20), T-2nd in goals (124), fourth in scoring (299) and assists (175) and fifth in PPG (23) since entering the NHL in 2016-17.

EMERGING YOUNG GUNS

• The Flyers have 12 of its 26 players on the current roster that are 25-and-younger.
• Philadelphia ranks ninth in the NHL in team rookie scoring percentage (9.6) and T-10th in team rookie points (21).
• The rookies have netted a combined eight goals to rank eighth among NHL team rookie goal percentage (9.8) and ninth in rookie goals.
• Noah Cates owns career highs in games played (33), assists (8), points (11), PPA (3), PPP (3) and shots (37).
• Morgan Frost owns a goal in back-to-back games for the third time in his career and has six points (3-3=6) in the last five games. He set a career-high four points (1-3=4) Dec. 11 at ARI and recorded his first career GWG Oct. 13 vs. NJD. He owns a career-high six goals this season.
• Owen Tippett collected two goals Tuesday vs. CBJ for his second career multi-goal game, both from this season. He has three points in the last two games and five points (3-2=5) in the last five games. He leads the Flyers with a career-high four PPG and ranks second with a career-high 10 goals.
• Cam York tallied two assists Tuesday vs. CBJ for his second career multi-point game. He owns three helpers in the last two games and four points (1-3=4) since his recall on Dec. 8.

WHOLE LOT OF HART

• Carter Hart stopped 30-of-33 shots Tuesday to move to a 10-9-6 record on the season and to a 3-2-2 record in his last seven starts.
• The backstop has seen 30-plus shots in 16 of his 25 games this season – he is 9-2-5 in those contests.
• He leads NHL goaltenders in shots against (799) and saves (729) this season.
• He tied his career-high 48 saves Thursday at NJD. He also stopped 48 shots and tied his career-high 51 shots faced vs. FLA on Oct. 27 to become the second goaltender in Flyers history to have two-or-more games with 48-plus saves (Bernie Parent, 1/22/70 at BOS, 51; 1/3/77 at MTL, 49).
• Dec. 5th’s contest was Hart’s 70th career victory to become the 11th goaltender in Flyers history to reach 70-plus wins (NHL Stats).- He opened the season on an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) to become the fourth goaltender in team history to have started a season on an eight-game plus point streak: Pete Peeters (22-0-5 in 1979-80), Bob Froese (9- 0-1 in 1982-83) and Dominic Roussel (8-0-0 in 1993-94). (NHL Stats)
• The Canadian native recorded a career-high season-opening five-game win streak, Oct. 13-27.
• Per NHL Stats, he became the seventh goaltender in Flyers history to win each of his first five games of a season and first since Ron Hextall (5-0-0 in 1995-96). The longest such stretch in franchise history is eight straight games, achieved by Dominic Roussel (1993-94) and Bob Froese (1982-83).
• Outside of Philadelphia, he only has one NHL team he has not earned a win against: St. Louis.

SANNY ON A ROLL

• Travis Sanheim owns seven points (2-5=7) in the last 11 games, including a season-high four-game point streak, Nov. 29-Dec. 5.
• He netted his first career shorthanded goal Nov. 29 vs. NYI to become the 41st defenseman in Flyers history to record a SHG.
• He registered a power-play assist Dec. 15 at NJD for his power-play point since March 1, 2020 at NYR.
• The blueliner leads the team in assists (8), second in scoring (11) and T-5th in goals (3) since Nov. 19 and ranks T-6th among NHL defensemen in even-strength points (9) and ranks T-11th in goals in that span.
• The 26-year-old signed an eight-year, $50 million contract extension ($6.25 AAV) on Oct. 13.

LUCKY NUMBER 13

• Kevin Hayes owns five points (1-4=5) in his last eight games.
• He owns 10 points (4-6=10) in his last 12 games.
• He owns 19 points (8-11=19) in his last 22 games, including a season-high six-game point streak (Nov. 12-21).
• The 30-year-old leads the team in assists (20), PPA (8), PPP (10) and points (29) and ranks third in goals (9) this season.
• The forward collected three PPP (1-2=3) in a three-game PPP streak, Dec. 3-7 – matching his career high PPP streak, set Oct. 13-18 (3a) this season.
• He collected back-to-back multi-point games (2-2=4), Nov. 26-29, for the sixth time in his career and ranks T-1st on the team with eight multi-point games this season.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 4 vs. Tampa Bay 1
Date: Tuesday, December 20, 2022
TOR Goals: Bunting, Matthews (PP), Engvall (EN), Nylander (EN)
TBL Goals: Namestnikov
TOR Goaltender: Murray, 18/19, .947 SV%
TBL Goaltender: Vasilevskiy, 36/38, .947 SV%
TOR Power Play: 1-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 1-for-1
Player Notes: – Michael Bunting opened the scoring for Toronto. Bunting has scored in four of his last five games. With the goal, Bunting recorded the 100th point of his NHL career.

• Auston Matthews scored on a Maple Leafs power play opportunity at 1:01 of the second period. Matthews has scored in consecutive games. Matthews leads the team in power play goals this season with eight.
• Rasmus Sandin posted the primary assist on Matthews’ power play goal. With his 12th assist of the season, Sandin recorded an NHL career season-high in assists.
• Mitch Marner recorded the secondary assist on Matthews’ power play goal, posting his team-leading 26th assist of the season. Marner is
  currently on a 13-game point streak on home ice where he has recorded 19 points (4G, 15A). Per NHL Stats, “Marner became the 10th different player in franchise history with a 13-game run and first since Mats Sundin over 15 years ago.”
• Calle Järnkrok skated in his 600th career NHL game in Tuesday’s win. Järnkrok registered the primary assist on William Nylander’s goal.

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Philadelphia: Second of Three
2021-22 Record vs. Philadelphia: 3-0-0
Toronto Season Record: 20-7-6
Toronto Home Record: 12-2-3

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are taking on the Philadelphia Flyers in the second of three matchups between the clubs this season. Toronto won their first game against the Flyers of the 2022-23 campaign 5-2 on Nov. 2 at Scotiabank Arena. The Maple Leafs have won four-straight games against Philadelphia and have earned at least one point through 10 of their last 11 matchups. The Maple Leafs are 4-0-0 on home ice through the month of December and hold a 12-2-3 record overall this season, currently holding the second-best home record in the league. Toronto will begin a three-game road trip on December 27 against St. Louis.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Sportsnet Ontario RADIO: Sportsnet 590

NEXT GAME
Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Opponent: at St. Louis Blues
Time: 8:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: Sportsnet Ontario (TV), TSN 1050 (Radio)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
December 20, 2022 The Maple Leafs have loaned defenceman Mac Hollowell to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
December 19, 2022 The Maple Leafs acquired forward Dryden Hunt from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Denis Malgin.

INJURY REPORT
Carl Dahlström Shoulder (IR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (IR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Morgan Rielly Knee (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (IR)
Rasmus Sandin Neck

ALL-TIME VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS:
First Matchup between Clubs: January 24, 1968 (Toronto 1 vs. Philadelphia 2)
All-Time Record: 68-93-22-7 (190 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 39-38-14-4 (95 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 29-55-8-3 (95 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: November 2, 2022 (Toronto 5 vs. Philadelphia 2)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 79.8%
Shorthanded Goal Leader: 1 – Järnkrok, Giordano, Marner
Shorthanded Point Leader: 2 – Marner (1G, 1A), Kämpf (2A)
2021-22 Penalty Kill: 192/234 (82.1%)

FAST FACTS
Thursday games 7th of 15 (7 home, 8 road)
Back-to-Backs played 5 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 2-3-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 4-0-1
December games 9th of 12 (5 home, 7 road)