Bruins host Flyers in Winter Classic preview

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Dec 14, 2009 1:04 PM EST in Game Previews

The Philadelphia Flyers are in town tonight to take on the Bruins in what will be a preview of the 2010 NHL Winter Classic. The Bruins are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday. While the Flyers are looking to get their act together after losing 10 of their last 12 contests, a slump that partially lead to the firing of head coach John Stevens and the hiring of former Boston Bruins assistant and Providence Bruins head coach Peter Laviolette.

Know Your Enemy

Philadelphia Flyers (14-15-1; 29 points; 5th in Atlantic Division, 13th in East)

Head Coach: Peter Laviolette (1-4-0 since taking the Flyers job)

SB Nation's Flyers Blog: Broad Street Hockey

Leading Scorer:

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Mike Richards	13	12	25	5	40

Probable Starting Goaltenders:

Tim Thomas

#30 / Goalie / Boston Bruins

Height: 5-11

Weight: 201

Born: Apr 15, 1974

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Tim Thomas	18	1077	7	7		45	2.51	507	462	.911	3

Brian Boucher

#33 / Goalie / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 200

Born: Jan 02, 1977

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Brian Boucher	11	592	3	7		25	2.53	259	234	.903	0

Injury Report

Boston Bruins Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Milan Lucic	ankle	11/26/2009

Philadelphia Flyers Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Dan Carcillo	other-excused	12/14/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Blair Betts	shoulder	11/22/2009
Darroll Powe	shoulder	11/21/2009
Simon Gagne	abdomen	10/27/2009
Ray Emery	abdomen	12/06/2009
Braydon Coburn	ankle	12/12/2009

Notes:

- Tim Thomas was the first goalie off the ice for the Bruins at the morning skate.

- Rhode Island native Brain Boucher will likely get the start in goal for the Flyers as Ray Emery is on the shelf after having abdominal surgery. The Flyers have called up Johan Backlund from the Adirondack Phantoms. The Flyers have also signed former Bruins goalie John Grahame to an AHL tryout contract to help solve the organization's goaltending woes.

- Members of the Bruins and Flyers got a special tour of Fenway Park yesterday and met with NHL ice guru Dan Craig (video below).

- The Bruins are 2-3-4 against the Atlantic Division this season

- The Flyers have been whistled for the most penalty minutes per game of any team in the NHL (17.8 minutes per game).

- These two teams last met on October 22nd with the Flyers beating the Bruins 4-3 in a shootout.

- Injured Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn will be replaced in the lineup by Ole-Kristian Tollefsen.

- The Bruins are giving away Winter Classic fleece helmet hats to the first 10,000 fans tonight. (H/T to Hub Hockey for the link)

- For more on tonight's game from a Flyers fan perspective, check out Broad Street Hockey

- Game starts at 7:00 and can be seen on NESN and heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Public Skate open thread starts a half hour before puck drop at 6:30.

Today's Obligatory Embarrassing Flyers Fan YouTube Video

That's a classic right there. I like how the idiot that jumped in to the penalty box wasn't even the guy that got squirted with the water.

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Comments

too bad Rask isn’t in net

I like how the idiot that jumped in to the penalty box wasn’t even the guy that got squirted with the water.

I like how the guy was so fat he broke the glass…..and the fact that he got a classic shirt-over-the-head punch to the face

by delta on Dec 14, 2009 2:03 PM EST reply actions

How Lucky Though?

If you are going to fall into a penalty box containing Domi, the only ref in the league you want going in first to save your butt would be Collins. That guy has broken up the best.

by MJDII on Dec 14, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions