MATCH:Penguins vs. Flyers
TIME:12:30 p.m. EST
PLACE:PPG Paints Arena
TV:NBC
RADIO:105.9 FM, the X
5 THINGS
1.The Pens are 3-0 this season against Philadelphia and are going for the sweep of the season series. Pittsburgh has posted 5 goals in each of the 3 previous contests.
2.Pittsburgh has 3 players with 80 or more points in Evgeni Malkin (91), Phil Kessel (83) and Sidney Crosby (81). It's the first time the Pens have accomplished the feat since 2000-01 (Jaromir Jagr, 121; Alexei Kovalev, 95; Martin Straka, 95; Robert Lang, 80).
3.Kessel's 83 points are a new career high. His 53 assists have already set a personal best, and he's reached the 30-goal plateau for the 6th time in his career.
4.The Flyers had climbed as high as 2nd in the Metro Division, but have recently fallen into the top Wild Card position. Though their 88 points are only 1 behind Columbus and 2 behind Pittsburgh.
5.The Flyers are led by Claude Giroux (90 points) and Jakub Voracek (80). Rookie goalie Alex Lyon won his previous start by stopping 33 of 36 shots in his 6th career game.
INJURIES
PIT - Zach Aston-Reese (upper-body), Carter Rowney (upper-body).
PHI - Elliott (lower-body), Neuvirth (lower-body), Oduya (lower-body), Raffl (upper-body).
MORNING SKATE
* The Pens did not hold a morning skate since it was an afternoon contest.
* The Pens' projected lineup:
Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Rust
Sheary-Brassard-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Sheahan-Simon
Dumoulin-Schultz
Maatta-Ruhwedel
Oleksiak-Letang
Murray
