5 THINGS: Flyers @ Canucks

In the second game of a back-to-back and the middle segment of a three-in-four gauntlet, Alain Vigneault's Philadelphia Flyers (3-1-1) are in British Columbia to take on Travis Green's Vancouver Canucks (3-3-1). Game time at Rogers Arena is 10:00 p.m. ET (NBCSP+, 93.3 WMMR).

This game will complete the two-game season series between the Flyers and Canucks; making Vancouver the first team with whom Philadelphia will be done playing for the 2021-22 campaign. On opening night at the Wells Fargo Center on Oct. 15, the Flyers overcame a rough second period to rally for two goals late in the third period and rescue a point. The Canucks prevailed via shootout, 5-4 (2-0).
The Flyers enter this game coming off a rousing 5-3 win in Edmonton on Wednesday. Two goals by Cam Atkinson -- a first-period buzzer beater and the game winning goal -- led the way offensively. Philadelphia also received tallies from Claude Giroux (4th), fourth-line center Nate Thompson (1st) and Sean Couturier (empty net, 2nd).
On Wednesday, Carter Hart shook off a questionable save-selection play on Edmonton's first goal to settle in to play brilliantly in making 34 saves. The game entered the third period tied at 3-3 largely due to Hart holding the fort while under siege in the middle frame.
Here are five things to look for in Wednesday's game.
1. Giroux's point streak.
Along with Atkinson, Giroux has begun the 2021-22 season with at least one point in each of the first five games of the season. Overall, the Flyers captain has posted four goals and two assists across the opening set of four home games plus Tuesday's win in Edmonton.
Additionally, Giroux has long been one of the NHL's most dominant faceoff men. He's begun this season at a torrid pace at the dot, winning 68.11 percent of the draws that he's taken. That skill proved vital in Edmonton with Giroux winning four straight defensive-zone draws with the Flyers holding a one-goal lead.
Back on opening night against the Canucks, it was Giroux who scored a highlight-reel 6-on-5 goal late in the third period. Stationed near the left post, Giroux received a deliberate bank pass from Sean Couturier off the end boards and Giroux quickly buried the puck over Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko.
2, Does someone sit down for Brown?
With the Flyers on the second game of a back-to-back amid a heavy slate of travel this week, it's unlikely that the team will hold a morning skate in Vancouver. Forward Patrick Brown, claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights on October 11, joined the Flyers in Edmonton on Wednesday after a bout with COVID-19 and the Canadian government travel requirements delayed Brown's clearance to travel to Canada.
Now the question is this: Will Brown make his Flyers debut in Vancouver on Thursday? If so, which Flyers forward comes out of the lineup for this game?
Even more importantly, when will Flyers top-pairing defenseman Ryan Ellis be ready to play? He remains day-to-day with an unspecified nagging injury.
Vigneault will discuss Thursday's lineup during his pregame media availability. If Ellis remains out, the pairings of Ivan Provorov with Justin Braun, Travis Sanheim with Rasmus Ristolainen and Keith Yandle with Nick Seeler will remain intact.
3. Another homecoming in goal.
On Wednesday, Carter Hart had family and friends in the stands as the Sherwood Park, Alberta, native earned the victory and took 3rd-star honors. Against the Canucks, Vancouver area native Martin Jones will try to follow Hart's lead and collect his second win of the season.
Jones started the Flyers' 6-3 home win over the Bruins on Oct. 20, making 37 saves in the process. Vigneault had the game in Vancouver -- the second half of the Flyers' first b2b of the season -- earmarked for Jones to start even before the season began. By giving him the start against Boston, Jones is a manageable eight days removed from his last game action heading into this game. Otherwise, he'd have been 20 days removed from playing in a game.
4. Behind Enemy Lines: Canucks.
The Canucks opened the season with a six-game road trip, posting a 3-2-1 record. This game against the Flyers will mark Vancouver's second home game of the year. In Tuesday's home opener, the Minnesota Wild defeated the Canucks by a 3-2 score. Vancouver was outplayed early in the game and found themselves trailing 2-0 by early in the second period. Vancouver started to generate some momentum a bit later in the game but ran into a strong performance by veteran goaltender Cam Talbot (22 saves including 10 in the second period). The Canucks were limited to five shots in the third period but managed to cut a 3-1 deficit to a single goal. They were unable to find an equalizer.
In a losing cause, Alex Chiasson (PPG, 2nd goal of the season) and Bo Harvat (4th) scored goals for the Canucks. Demko stopped 27 of 30 shots.
5. Players to Watch: Atkinson and Miller.
No Philadelphia player in the foreseeable future is likely to match Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg's franchise record of 28 points (4g, 24a) across his first 13 games as a Flyer (2005-06 season). However, Cam Atkinson has carved out a bit of team history of his own, with a team record six goals across his first five games as a Flyer. The previous record was five, set by rookie Todd Bergen in 1984-85.
If Atkinson records a point against the Canucks, he will match Forsberg's team record of putting together a six-game point streak to start his Flyers career. Offensive defenseman Greg Hawgood also managed a six-game point streak in his first six games as a Flyer in 1992-93.
The Flyers were happy J.T. Miller left town after the home opener on Oct. 15. Miller punished Philly for a goal and two assists in regulation and also scored during the ensuing shootout to end the game. Entering this game, Miller (1g, 7a) and Conor Garland (3g, 5a) share the team scoring lead with eight points apiece. Horvat leads in goals.
Elias Pettersson, who was a force on the first game in Philadelphia (PPG, 1a, shootout winning goal), is off to a somewhat slow start overall with four points through the first seven games. Some team will pay for it; the Flyers hope that won't happen until after their season series with the Canucks ends.