Philadelphia Flyers (41-28-7, 89pts)
vs.
Pittsburgh Penguins (40-29-6, 86pts)
Exhibition Game at Scotiabank Arena | Toronto, Ontario
TIME: 4:00 p.m. | TV: NBCSP+ | RADIO: 97.5 The Fanatic
Presented by: BELFOR PROPERTY RESTORATION
5 Things: Flyers vs. Penguins Exhibition Game
GAME NOTES
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-1-1
All-Time Record: 292 gp (157-94-30-11)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - Travis Konecny: 61-pts (24g-37a)
PIT - Evgeny Malkin: 74-pts (25g-49a)
1. SUMMER HOCKEY
The Flyers play their first ever July NHL hockey game, and first game action of any kind in 141 days - they last played on Mar. 10 vs. Boston (L: 0-2) before the NHL Paused due to COVID-19... The Pens also played on Mar. 10 vs. New Jersey (W: 5-2)... Today's game is the lone exhibition game in July before the playoffs officially begin with the Flyers three-game round robin series on August 2 (Boston-Washington-Tampa) to determine playoff seeding and the Penguins five-game Qualifying series vs. Montreal on August 1.
2. ABOUT THESE TWO
Today is the first non-regulation and non-playoff game between the Flyers and Penguins in nearly 14 years - since a Sept. 24, 2006 preseason game... These two played three of their four scheduled games in the regular season with the Flyers earning points in the last two meetings (1-0-1) after a 7-1 loss in their first game in October... No matter the outcome of today's game, the Pens could be the likely candidate for the first round playoff series with the Flyers if they beat the Montreal Canadiens in their five-game series "Qualifying Round" and the Flyers remain the #4 seed through the "Round Robin".
3. BEFORE-AFTER-UP-DOWN
Prior to the Pause, the Flyers were one of the hottest teams in the NHL - Since Jan. 8, they posted a 19-6-1 record, which was tied for 1st in the league (Boston: same record), and climbed from 17th in the NHL to 6th... The Pens on the other hand were one of the worst teams, ending with a 3-8-0 skid in their last 11 games, which brought them from third in the NHL on Feb. 20, to T-7th at the end of the regular season on Mar. 12.
4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: Today's game will feature a split in Flyers net as both Carter Hart and Brian Elliott will see action - Hart will play the first two periods and Elliott the third... THAT: The Penguins ranked third among all NHL teams in man-games lost to injury during the regular season at 298, while the Flyers recorded 230 man-games lost this season... THE OTHER: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is a game-time decision - he is the NHL active leading scorer against the Flyers with 105 points (43g-62a) in 70 games, which is 32 more than the next closest active player - teammate Evgeni Malkin with 73 points in 58 games.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (RW: #93 - Jakub Voracek)
Few players on the Flyers were hotter than Jake when the NHL paused... He posted 10 points, all assists, in his last six games and finished the season leading the team in assists (44)... Voracek also has the most goals (23) and points (43) against the Penguins than any other team in his NHL career averaging a point per-game.
PENGUINS (C: #59 - Jake Guentzel)
Should he be in the lineup it will be his first game of 2020... Guentzel last played on Dec. 30 before a shoulder injury forced him out for the regular season and most of the playoffs before the pause... He is on the Penguins playoff roster and ready to pick where he left off, which was leading the Pens with 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games before his injury.
