Playing their final home game of the 2025 calendar year, Rick Tocchet's Philadelphia Flyers (17-10-6) are back in South Philly on Monday to play the team he formerly coached, the Vancouver Canucks (15-17-3). This is the first of two meetings this season between the inter-conference teams. They will rematch in Vancouver on December 30.
Game time at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday is 7:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on NBCSP.
The Flyers have lost four of their last six games either in overtime or via shootout. This past Sunday, the Flyers let a two-goal lead against the New York Rangers slip away in the third period. After failing to convert on two separate overtime power plays, Philadelphia lost 2-0 in a shootout.
Denver Barkey is coming off a memorable NHL debut. The small but tenacious winger quickly compiled a pair of primary assists for his first two NHL points. He also made several strong plays on the walls and in applying back pressure.
The Flyers enter Monday's game awaiting updates on the statuses of center Christian Dvorak and goaltender Aleksei Kolosov. Both players are day-to-day with upper body injuries.
Here are the RAV4 Things to watch in Philadelphia on Monday.
1. Zegras' point streak.
Flyers leading scorer Trevor Zegras (15 goals, 20 assists) 35 points brings a career-best seven-game scoring streak into Monday's match. He's the first newly arrived Flyer since the legendary Jaromir Jagr in 2011-12 to assemble a seven-game point streak.
2. Flyers power play.
The Flyers ended their power play futility streak on Saturday, going 2-for-5 on the man advantage. They also won the overall special teams battle for the game against the Rangers, going 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. However, a late-third penalty led to the Rangers forcing overtime on a deflected carom. Shortly thereafter, the Flyers saw two overtime power plays go by the wayside ahead of a 2-0 shootout loss. Philly aims for -- and needs -- better outcomes against the Canucks when all is said and done.
3. The Cates Line.
Flyers center Noah Cates almost always plays solid defensive games. The offensive half of his two-way game had been missing since the latter part of November. In 12 games from November 24 to December 16, the forward produced just three points (2g,1a). However, he now has points in back-to-back games (1g, 1a) while his offensive game takes on some added importance with the injury issues in the lineup. Overall, Cates has posted 18 points (10g, 8a) through the first 34 games of the season.
Meanwhile, regular linemate Bobby Brink (9g, 8a, 17 points) has three points over his last three games and four points (2g, 2a) in the last five matches.
4. Offense from the blue line.
Over the past week, the Flyers have received three goals from the defense corps -- one apiece from Jamie Drysdale, Cam York and Travis Sanheim. With several banged-up forwards, the uptick in goals from the defense is both welcomed and needed.
Overall, through 34 games, Sanheim and Drysdale share the points lead among Flyers defensemen with 16 points apiece (3g, 13a). York is next on the list with 14 points in 27 games played.
