Flames (10-12-1) at Flyers (9-10-3)
7:30 p.m. on CSN/CSNPhilly.com, Pregame Live at 7 p.m.
Defensive-zone coverage breakdowns and turnovers continued to plague the Flyers in a Black Friday matinee in a 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers.
Tonight, the orange and black will look to shore up their defense with a rookie goalie making his NHL debut against the red-hot Calgary Flames at the Wells Fargo Center.
Here are five things you need to know for the matchup.
1. Stolie time
The wait is over.
Anthony Stolarz will finally make his NHL debut tonight against the Flames. Stolarz will become the first New Jersey-born goaltender to play in the league (see story).
While Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol did not confirm Stolarz would Saturday, Stolarz's teammates did the honor. Steve Mason, who has started the Flyers' last nine games since Michal Neuvirth suffered a left knee injury, tipped Hakstol's hand after practice Saturday.
NHL
“Everybody is excited for him,” Mason said. “He’s been called up numerous times. Over a quarter of the year, he’s been called up and waiting for a shot. This year, especially, he looks like a different goaltender in net. He’s put a lot of work in. He’s ready for it."
Stolarz, a 2012 second-round pick, is on his seventh call-up, and has backed up 26 games in his career. This season with the AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Stolarz is 6-2-0 with a 2.39 goals against average, .927 save percentage and one shutout.
Tonight offers a prime opportunity for Stolarz to make his debut. Despite their recent stretch of winning hockey, the Flames average 2.26 goals per game, 26th in the NHL.
2. Cutting down on mistakes
Because Stolarz is making his NHL debut, the Flyers were adamant Saturday they have to focus on cutting down the turnovers and coverage miscues to help Stolarz out tonight.
"Take it easy on him the first five, 10 minutes and not turn pucks over," Jakub Voracek said. "Mistakes are gonna happen. Make sure you keep it tight at the beginning."
On Friday afternoon, team defense again proved to be a major issue with the Flyers. Mason again was hung out to dry, a common theme this season.
Scott Laughton's turnover deep in the Flyers' zone led to the Rangers' first goal Friday, Andrew MacDonald blew his coverage on the second goal and Mark Streit's erroneous pass resulted in the third goal. Those mistakes have largely been present throughout the year.
The goaltending has been a hot topic this season in South Philly. (When hasn't it?) But, simply put, the overall team defense has been a disaster. Should the Flyers make the same mistakes and turnovers they have tonight, it could be an ugly debut for Stolarz.
No matter how little offensive firepower the Flames have.
3. Johnny No-hockey
The Flames' most dynamic offensive force, Johnny Gaudreau, has a fractured finger and will be out of Calgary's lineup for the next four-to-six weeks. The Carneys Point, New Jersey, native, who signed a six-year, $40.5 million extension before the season, had been leading the Flames with five goals and 11 points through the first 17 games of the season.
Gaudreau is a "big piece of our lineup," Flames defenseman Mark Giordano told NHL.com last week, but Calgary has won its last two games since he suffered the injury last Tuesday. Does that a direct correlation with "Johnny Hockey's" absence? Doubtful. After a dreadful start, the Flames began heating up two weeks ago on Nov. 15 in Minnesota.
The Flames are 4-2-0 in their last six games. Before this recent stretch, Calgary was 6-10-1, and still searching for a solution to a familiar problem the last few years.
Brian Elliot was acquired from St. Louis this past offseason to shore up the Flames' crease, but the move hasn't paid off so far. Elliot is 3-9 with a 3.42 goals against average and a .882 save percentage. He's played one game during the Flames' recent stretch, and he picked up one of the two losses.
Instead, the Flames have relied on career backup Chad Johnson, who has enjoyed a strong start to his first season in Calgary. Through 11 games with the Flames, Johnson is 7-3-1 with a 1.98 goals against average and .928 save percentage with two shutouts. Johnson has started five of the Flames' last six games, and has allowed just seven goals.
With Johnson steadying the net for Calgary, expect to see him again on Sunday night.
4. Keep an eye on …
Flyers: Ivan Provorov continues to impress for the orange and black. Whether it's a crisp pass or wrist shot on net to set up a deflection, the 19-year-old is improving with each game. Sure, there are still some rookie plays here and there, but his composure is impressive. He scored his first career goal last Wednesday in Tampa. Watch for one of his patent stick checks, or his stout zone-entry defensive plays tonight.
Flames: Since Philly's second favorite Jersey boy behind Mike Trout (sorry, Cherry Hill's Bobby Ryan) Gaudreau is out, let's highlight 28-year-old Michael Frolik, who leads Calgary with six goals, eight assists and 14 points. Over the last the six games, Frolik has a goal and three assists, but has been held pointless in his last two games.
5. This and that
• Calgary is 7-0-1 when leading after two periods; the Flyers are 4-2-1.
• Flyers captain Claude Giroux enters Sunday night on an eight-game goalless streak.
• Kris Versteeg, a former Flyer, is dealing with a groin injury, but will play.
• Laughton appears to be a healthy scratch tonight for Roman Lyubimov, while Michael Del Zotto returns to the lineup for Brandon Manning, who is sitting for precautionary reasons. Nick Schultz will be scratched again.