Flyers Cheat Sheet: 2/17 – 2/24

After finishing a six game road trip, the Flyers hunkered down for the beginning of a five game home stand. They went 3-1 over the last week against the Islanders, Penguins, Panthers, and Jets, which makes them 9-10-1 for the year. As a result, the Flyers are now eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Storylines:

• The Flyers/Penguins game gave fans everything they wanted in the feisty 6-5 win.
• Scott Hartnell returned to the line-up against Winnipeg and played just under 15 minutes.
• Bryzgalov was pulled in the Panthers game after giving up four goals on 15 shots. He also admitted that being tired may have played a role.

Injuries:

• Matt Read will be out six weeks after tearing multiple muscles in his rib cage against Pittsburgh. Ouch.
• Andrej Meszaros may return to the line-up this week. He has been practicing with the team.
• Tom Sestito injured his lower body while playing for the Phantoms. His status is not yet known.

Hot Week:

• Claude Giroux: After a slow start, G has really turned it on for the Flyers. He had three goals and five assists this week. He is also currently second on the Flyers in points with 18.
• Jake Voracek: Simply put, Voracek has been absolutely phenomenal. The 23 year-old Voracek put up 11 points in four games (4 G, 7 A). This means he was involved in more than half of the Flyers 20 goals scored this week. He has 22 points overall.

Cold Week:

• Strong starts: The Flyers gave up six first period goals and had to come from behind in every game except the Islanders contest. 
• Penalties: The Bullies are averaging nearly 17 penalty minutes a game. It part of the physical style, but still troublesome.

Quote of the Week:

“I feel like exhausted. I’m pretty sure the team feels the same way. Lots of travel, lots of games. It’s a lot. Sometimes it’s just tough to play with energy and emotions, even though you know it’s an important game.” – Ilya Bryzgalov

Highlight of the Week:

Check it out here.

Upcoming Games:

2/25 vs Toronto Maple Leafs   7:00 pm
2/27 vs Washington Capitals    7:30 pm
3/2 vs Ottawa Senators   12:00 pm