5 THINGS: Flyers @ Ducks

GAME NOTES
Wrapping up a four-game western road trip, interim head coach Mike Yeo's Philadelphia Flyers (13-13-6) will play Dallas Eakins' Anaheim Ducks (17-11-7) on Tuesday night. Game time at the Honda Center is 10:00 p.m. ET (NBCSP, 97.5 The Fanatic).

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Flyers and Ducks. The teams will rematch at the Wells Fargo Center on April 9.
The Flyers, who are 1-1-1 on the road trip to date, saw a seven-game point streak (5-0-2) come to an end on Saturday with a 6-3 loss to the LA Kings. Anaheim is starting a four-game homestand. The team dropped a 3-1 decision in Vegas on New Year's Eve and then lost in Colorado, 4-2, on Sunday.
Here are five things to watch heading into this game.
1. Gut-check game
The Flyers need a win in Anaheim to secure a winning road trip with five of eight possible points. Especially with Philly coming off overtime and regulation losses in the last two games, it's vital to finish the trip on a positive note.
There are no excuses here. Rust from a long schedule hiatus no longer applies. Nor does jet lag or the fatigue factor. Everyone is adjusted to the time change by now. The Flyers have been in the Pacific time zone since last Tuesday. There was barely any travel over the weekend from LA to Anaheim, plus there was an off-day on Sunday and an idle night on Monday after practice.
Last but not least, the Flyers could have both Scott Laughton and Carter Hart back in the lineup for the Ducks game. Both players, along with Derick Brassard, exited COVID protocol on Saturday. Laughton and Hart joined the team in California the next day, while Brassard remained in Philadelphia. Brassard is still rehabbing a nagging hip issue but is said to be close to being ready to play again.
2. Lineup adjustments
With Laughton returning to the Flyers starting lineup, it remains to be seen whether he plays center or left wing. It's also possible that Morgan Frost could be moved back to a wing.
Jackson Cates, who was in the Flyers' starting lineup in LA, was placed in COVID-19 protocol on Monday, along with defenseman Nick Seeler.
Carter Hart may get the start in this game, although he's only had one practice since his bouts with the flu and COVID. He practiced on Monday and said he felt well. He's at least available for backup duty but it would not be a surprise if Hart is ready to go for starting duty.
3. Inside the Numbers
The Ducks have been one of the NHL's best special teams clubs this season, coming in with a 26.9 percent success rate on the power play (ranked 4th in the NHL), 85.4 percent success rate on the penalty kill (ranked 3rd) and a combined 112.3 special teams number. The Flyers come in at 16.1 percent (ranked 26th) on the power play, 81.4 percent on the PK (ranked 13th) and a combined 97.5 special teams number.
Anaheim has struggled to keep the puck out of their net at even strength but has also scored plenty of goals: 65 GA/ 68 GA at 5-on-5, 2 GF/ 3 GA at 4-on-4. The Flyers enter this game at minus-10 (57 GF/ 67 GA) at 5-on-5 and plus-one (2 GF/ 1 GA) at 4-on-4.
For most of the 2021-22 season, the Flyers have struggled to navigate their way through the second period of games. The Flyers enter this game with a combined 42-24 goal deficit in second periods.
On the goals scored side, only the New York Islanders (23), Chicago Blackhawks (22) and Arizona Coyotes (13) have scored fewer second period goals than the Flyers. On the goals against side, only the Coyotes (24 GA in second periods across 30 games played) have a higher second period GAA than Philadelphia.
The Ducks have been outshot by opponents in both first periods (358-370) and second periods (347-401). However, Anaheim has a 29-22 goal edge in first periods (Flyers have a 29-26 goal edge, 343-354 shot deficit) and 34-30 goal edge in second periods. The Flyers have been severely outshot in second periods (395-313). In third periods, the Ducks have scored 38 goals while allowing 39. The Flyers have been outscored 32-29.

4. Behind Enemy Lines: Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have five players who have posted 20 or more points this season, 10 players with 14 or more points, and 13 players with double-digit points. Troy Terry leads the way with 18 goals and 31 points.
John Gibson has been a workhorse in net for Anaheim, appearing in 26 games to date: 11-9-6 record, 2.71 GAA, .915 save percentage. Former Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz has made 10 appearances (6-2-1, 2.13 GAA, .931 SV%).
The Ducks canceled their scheduled practice on Monday after Nicolas Deslauriers and former Flyers forward Derek Grant tested positive for COVID-19 and entered protocol. Veteran captain Ryan Getzlaf (team-leading 20 assists among his 22 points) and gifted young forward Trevor Zegras (8 goals, 25 points) are also in COVID protocol. The NHL's Rookie of the Month in December, Zegras entered protocol on Dec. 28 while Getzlaf entered protocol over New Year's weekend.
5. Players to Watch: Farabee and Milano
Joel Farabee has been heating up offensively of late. He's scored goals in back-to-back games and has four points over the last three games. Farabee, who missed seven games this season due to a shoulder injury, has 10 goals and 14 points this season in 25 games.
Milano started out December on a tear, with three goals and seven points in the first four games of the month. Most notably, that stretch included Milano batting Zegras' much-replayed alley oop pass from behind the net for a goal against Buffalo on Dec. 7. Milano has posted two points (0g, 2a) across his last eight games, however.
Both the 25-year-old Milano and the 21-year-old Farabee are products of the U.S. National Team Development Program.