5 THINGS: Sharks vs. Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers (8-9-7: 23pts) vs.San Jose Sharks (12-8-2: 26pts)
at Wells Fargo Center | Philadelphia, PA
TIME: 7:00 p.m. | TV: NBCSP | RADIO: 97.5 The Fanatic
presented by The Rothman Institute at Jefferson Hospital
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-0-0
All-Time Record: 38gp (16-15-4-5)
Leading Scorers:
PHI:29-PTS, Voracek (7g-22a)
SJS: 19-PTS, Couture (13g-6a)
1. RIGHT BACK AT IT
The Flyers enter the second of games on back-to-back nights and play the final contest of a schedule that sees them play five games in an eight-day span - they will also have three full days off of game action after tonight's game… The Flyers are 1-1-1 in the second game with Sean Couturier (3a) and Claude Giroux (1g-2a) leading the team with three points each those the second games… Although the starting goaltender won't be known until warmups, in each of the three back-to-back sets, the Flyers have split them between Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth on all three occasions… After dropping six straight games to the Sharks from Feb. 2014 to Dec. 16, the Flyers have won two straight against San Jose.

2. ROAD SHARKS
The Sharks come into town kicking off a nine-day, four-game road trip out east and in the south… They are coming off a 4-0 win over Winnipeg and have earned points in the standings in each of their last four games, going 2-0-2, while also earning points in three of their last four road games (3-0-1)… The Sharks also have the second-best penalty kill in the NHL, operating at 88 percent, and are one of only two NHL teams (LA Kings) that has allowed less than 10 power-play goals against so far this season, allowing just nine goals on the PK.
3. 60 AND OVER
The Flyers had had their last three games go past regulation play and four of their last five overall contests decided in either overtime or a shootout… The last time the Flyers had four straight games decided past 60 minutes was six seasons ago on Mar. 17-24 when four straight games were decided in a shootout… They are now tied for the second-most games past regulation this season (8), with the New Jersey Devils leading (9), and the Flyers are tied with the Devils for the most games past regulation in the month of November (6).
4. A TALE OF TWO PERIODS
The Flyers have scored 30 goals in the second period, which ranks them fourth in the NHL for most second-period goals… The Sharks are tied for the least amount of goals scored in the third period (17), while also being tied for the least amount of goals allowed in the third period (12)
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (LW: #28 - Claude Giroux)
Giroux comes into tonight's game with a four-game point streak, including back-to-back multi-point games with a goal and three assists in the last two outings… Giroux has 11 points (4g-7a) in the 12 games of November thus far, while also recording a +7 rating…Giroux scored the first Flyers goal in the season opening game at San Jose and now has seven goals and 11 points in 14 career games against the Sharks.
SHARKS (D: #88 - Brent Burns)
After a slow start to the season, the reigning Norris Trophy winner is heating up with points in three straight games (1g-2a)… He leads the Sharks in ice-time, averaging 25:03, and has logged over 20 minutes of TOI in every game this season… He is one of nine defensemen this season to log over 30 minutes of ice time in a game (30:17) and only one of three defensemen to log over 30 minutes in a game played in regulation (LAK: Drew Doughty & MIN: Ryan Suter).