Flying High: Top Five Performers Against Tampa Bay

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Flyers

In a new series by Philly Sports Network, we will be looking at how each guy on the Flyers’ roster fairs against the round robin and qualifying teams. Each player will be evaluated based on their points per game, as well as other factors such as average time on ice and special teams production. We will be doing this by the order of the standings, with our Boston Bruins analysis first. With this being said, next up is the high powered Tampa Bay Lightning.

Number 5 – Travis Konceny

TK burst onto the scene this season, leading the team in goals (24) and points (61). In 11 games against Tampa, TK has been a sharpshooter, sniping five goals and tallying three assists. Two of his goals have been on the power play as well, showcasing his ability to produce in other facets of the game. Heading into the round robin, Philadelphia will need TK to continue his success if they want any chance at getting the one or two seed.

Number 4 – Ivan Provorov

The Russian machine has never missed a game in his career, where he has picked up 11 total games against Tampa. Provy is a special defensive talent, who will be heavily relied on for the playoffs and years moving forward. Offensively, though, he has had some of his best moments against the Lightning. In those 11 games, Provy has four goals and five assists, with two power play goals. As a staple of both special teams and a guy getting heavy 5-on-5 minutes each night, Provy could help the Flyers surpass the Bolts in a seven game series.

Number 3 – James van Riemsdyk

JvR is a name that may appear more often than not on our lists. He may not get the recognition he deserves from Flyers’ fans, but he will be one of the most important playoff pieces. JVR has played against Tampa 36 times in his career, picking up 29 points in those games. Most significantly, he has picked up four power play goals (most on team), which could hopefully spark some power play production for the Flyers’ second unit.

Number 2 – Claude Giroux

Giroux also will likely show up on most of our top five pieces, which is perfectly okay if you ask me. He has played in 37 games against Tampa, where he registers over a point per game (38 points). His one goal against Tampa, as shown below, could easily bring him to the top spot alone, as he displayed his pure dominance in that play. He may be a -4 against them, but if the captain needs to give a little defensively to put up a point-per-game average, that’s a fair trade off.

Number 1 – Brian Elliott

This one comes as a bit of a surprise. As a goaltender with a 2.84 career GAA and .912 save percentage, Brian Elliott has been an above average goaltender during his career. However, he becomes stellar as soon as the Lightning line up as his opponent. In 13 games against Tampa, Brian Elliott is 8-2-1 with two shutouts. He boasts a career 1.96 GAA and .928 save percentage against them as well. Elliott is still the backup to Hart heading into the playoffs. However, he gives Philly a great option in a seven game series, or even in the round robin, against Tampa.

Check out our previous pieces to the Flying High Series as well…

Boston Bruins

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