GAMES NOTES
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 0-3-2
All-Time Record: 206gp (73-100-21-12)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - 31 pts: James van Riemsdyk (13g-18a)
BOS - 41 pts: Brad Marchand (17g-24a)
1. WHAT'S ON THE LINE
Tonight kicks off a back-to-back, home-and-home series with critical playoff position on the line... The fifth-place Flyers (39pts) are four points back of fourth-place Bruins (43pts) for the final playoff spot in the East, however Boston has two games in hand... These two will also wrap up their eight-game season series five days from now on Apr. 10... The Flyers wrap up a four-game road trip, going 1-1-1 so far, while the Bruins will play the final game of their seven-game homestand, going 3-2-1 in the previous six.
2. SNAP BACK
The Flyers and Bruins meet for the first time since their Lake Tahoe game in which the Bruins took a 7-3 win... The Flyers are winless in the season series vs. Boston, going 0-3-2, and have dropped six straight to the Bruins dating back to last season... They are looking to avoid seven straight losses to the Bruins for the first time since a 15-game skid from Oct. 25, 1970 - Dec. 17, 1972... Five of the last nine meetings have been decided past regulation play... The Bruins are 50% on the power play in the season series, going 8-for-16, and have outscored the Flyers 12-6 in the third period.
3. B-ING CAUTIOUS
The B's have earned points in six of their last eight games (5-2-1) but have given up nearly has many goals as they have scored in that span, outscoring their opponent 24-22... The Bruins own the NHL's best penalty kill, operating at 89%, and are even more efficient on the PK at home at 90.9%... They also have five shorthanded tallies this season, which is T-2nd in the NHL... Boston ranks fourth in the NHL for most shots on goal per-game, averaging 32.4, while also ranking second in the league for fewest shots allowed per-game at 27.0.
4. THE PLAYERS HAVE
Claude Giroux has four goals and five points in his last five games... James van Riemsdyk has eight points (4g-4a) in five games against the Bruins this season... Tuukka Rask is 4-0-0 against the Flyers this season and owns a lifetime record of 19-2-4 with a 2.06 GAA and .927 save percentage vs. Philly... The Bruins are one of five teams in the NHL that have had 12 players appear in at least one game on defense this season, while the Flyers have had nine d-men dress this year... The Flyers are one of nine teams to have four or more d-men record 10 or more points with three teams (MIN, NYI & WSH) having five d-men with 10+ points.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (LW: #93 - Jakub Voracek)
Has a three-game point and assist streak with four helpers in that span... Voracek also leads the Flyers in scoring on the road with 18 points (2g-16a) in 17 games... Against the Bruins, he has five points (1g-4a) in four games in the season series and 32 points (7g-25a) in 35 career meetings.
BRUINS
(C: #37 - Patrice Bergeron)(LW: #63 - Brad Marchand)(RW: #88 - David Pastrnak)
One of the best lines in the NHL, the trio are 1, 2 & 3 on the team in scoring... They have also combined for 25 points and are +16 in the season series against the Flyers led by Marchand with nine points (3g-6a) in five games… Pastrnak has two hat tricks and eight points in just three appearances this year while Bergeron has the most career points (45) and goals (18) of the three in 55 meetings.
