http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1079361603765
Saturday NHL preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto Maple Leafs
Flyer Claude Giroux hits ACC at top of his game.
Claude Giroux of the Flyers arrives for Saturday night's date with the Leafs on a roll. (Rick Madonik / Toronto Star file photo)
https://www.thestar.com/sports/leaf...iladelphia-flyers-at-toronto-maple-leafs.html
By
Mark ZwolinskiSports reporter
Fri., Oct. 27, 2017
AIR CANADA CENTRE
FACEOFF: 7 p.m.
TV: CBC
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Giroux/Bozak
Flyer
Claude Giroux is looking more like his old self. After a sub-par performance last season, the 2013-14 Hart Trophy finalist has five goals and six assists in 10 games. He’s skating extremely well and looking dangerous in the offensive zone. . . . Leaf
Tyler Bozak is among the league’s top faceoff men and has drawn regular praise from coach Mike Babcock for his hockey smarts.
NEED TO KNOW
The Flyers have lost their last two games, dropping to 5-5-0 on the season. They were 5-4 losers in Ottawa on Thursday. …
Jakub Voracek scored his first goal of the season in the loss to the Senators, but leads the team with 12 assists. …
Wayne Simmonds, a Toronto native, usually has strong games when the Flyers visit the Leafs, but he’s been nursing some nagging injuries of late. …
Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick in June, is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, while key defenceman
Andrew MacDonald is out a month with a lower-body injury. The Flyers have been outscored 11-6 in the two games MacDonald has missed so far … The Flyers power play is 0 for 8 in the last two games, both losses.
UP NEXT
Monday at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m.
Game Day: Flyers at Maple Leafs
Terry Koshan
http://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/game-day-flyers-at-maple-leafs
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Saturday, 7 p.m., Air Canada Centre,
TV: CBC, Radio: 1050 AM
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
Learn from mistakes
All three of the Maple Leafs’ losses this season have been by a score of 6-3, and after the previous two, they won by a goal. On Friday, they seemed to have their heads screwed on straight again. “Our work ethic was not there and that’s something that should never happen,” Tyler Bozak said. “We’ll be ready to go.”
First priorities
The Leafs have been productive in the first period, scoring an NHL-high 18 goals (prior to games on Friday), while the Flyers lag near the bottom of the league, scoring seven goals in the opening 20 minutes. The Leafs, goalie Frederik Andersen included, can’t be as bad as they were early against Carolina.
What’s my line?
Coach Mike Babcock has done some line juggling, and we’ll see how long it lasts once the puck drops. He wants Patrick Marleau to spur on Tyler Bozak (two even-strength points in 10 games) and Mitch Marner (three even-strength points), for starters. If in, Josh Leivo might be tested in tempering his excitement.
Patrick possible
The Leafs could get their first look at Flyers forward Nolan Patrick, selected second overall in June. Patrick, who is dealing with an upper-body issue (head), was on the ice on Friday after missing the Flyers’ game Thursday. “There’s a few things I have to do first, but I’m feeling good and hopefully ready to go,” Patrick said.
Oh my Gudas
In Radko Gudas, the Flyers have one of the hardest hitters in the NHL, and the burly defenceman doesn’t give an inch. The forecheck won’t be fun, and the Leafs will have to keep their heads up. “Radko hits as hard as anybody in the league, so his hits are impact hits,” Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said.
THE BIG MATCHUP
Wayne Simmonds vs. Nazem Kadri
Both can score. Both can agitate. Both can decide a game. Simmonds has scored in double digits in his career against seven NHL clubs, including the Leafs, with 10 goals in 22 games. Kadri has 12 points in 16 career games versus the Flyers, with four points coming in three games last season. If they’re on the ice against each other, expect neither to give up so much as a step.
SPECIAL TEAMS
LEAFS — PP 28.2% (3rd), PK 85.7% (6th)
FLYERS — PP 19.5% (11th), PK 78.4% (23rd)
SICK BAY
LEAFS — LW James van Riemsdyk (lower body).
FLYERS — C Nolan Patrick (upper body), G Anthony Stolarz (knee), D Andrew MacDonald (lower body), RW Colin McDonald (lower body).