Preview: Coyotes Wrap Up Road Trip in Philadelphia on Monday

Feb. 12, 2024 | 5:00 pm MST | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
TV: Arizona 61 | Radio: ESPN 620

The Arizona Coyotes are set to wrap up their two-game road trip on Monday, facing off against the Flyers for the second-and-final time this season.

Philadelphia won the first meeting, 4-1, on Dec. 7.

Arizona most recently dropped a 4-3 game in overtime to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, and is looking to keep pace in the Western Conference’s Wild Card race. The Coyotes are eight points behind the St. Louis Blues with one game in hand.

Forward Jason Zucker recorded three assists against the Flyers, and has four points in his last two games. The 32-year-old has eight goals in 21 career games against the Flyers.

Goalie Karel Vejmelka is expected to get the start tonight, looking for his first win since Dec. 27 against the Colorado Avalanche. He was perfect his last time out, stopping all 26 shots he faced in relief of Connor Ingram against Vegas, but did not earn a decision in the game.

Vejmelka is 1-3-0 with a 4.22 goals-against average and .880 save percentage in four career games against Philadelphia.

Player to Watch: Dylan Guenther is coming off a two-point game against the Predators, and has five points over his last five games. 

ABOUT THE FLYERS
The Flyers have won three straight games, and their 62 points are third-most in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes. Philly most recently beat the Kraken 3-2 on Saturday, and is wrapping up a three-game homestand on Monday.

Forward Travis Konecny leads the way with 46 points, followed by Joel Farabee (41), Sean Couturier (32), Owen Tippett (31), and Cam Atkinson (28). Konecny’s 24 goals also leads the team.

Between the pipes, Samuel Ersson is expected to get the start tonight, and is 14-9-3 with three shutouts, a 2.47 GAA and .903 SV%. He has won two straight decisions, stopping 48 of 50 shots he’s faced over that span, and has never faced the Coyotes in his career.

The Flyers rank 26th in the league with 2.87 goals-for per game, while they allow the 10th-fewest at 2.83. They have struggled on the power play this year, ranking 31st with a 13.17 percent conversion rate, but they boast the league’s second-best penalty kill (85.98 percent).

Player to Watch: Konecny has four points over his last two games, and scored two goals against the Coyotes earlier this season. He has 13 points in as many career games against Arizona.