Flyers vs. Lightning: Preview, Odds, and How to Watch

What stings about the back-to-back losses this weekend is that the Philadelphia Flyers (30-22-7) were the cockroaches they needed to be but didn’t gain a point in the NHL Metropolitan Division standings. They competed closely to rival competition without Travis Konecny (upper body).

The Flyers mostly outplayed the New York Rangers, but it was all about Matt Rempe deflecting a game-winner past Sam Ersson on a night when he stood toe-to-toe with Nicolas Deslauriers. They led briefly, then tied the game multiple times against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but suffered another defeat and lost Jamie Drysdale (undisclosed) week-to-week.

Philadelphia had to show their depth against the Penguins to varying results. Olle Lycksell, throughout all the scoring, notched two primary assists on goals by Scott Laughton and Cam York. Cal Petersen, on the other hand, surrendered seven goals.

At 7pm, the Tampa Bay Lightning (32-23-5) returns to the Wells Fargo Center. Last month, the Lightning defeated the Flyers by a final score of 6-3. After tonight’s tilt, these two teams will meet again on March 9th at Amalie Arena.

Tampa Bay Lightning

In their last five games, Tampa Bay is 2-3-0. Jon Cooper took a page from the John Tortorella playbook, formatting an 11/7 lineup in a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils:

“A lot of things have worked. I think first and foremost, it’s our mindset and what it takes to win in the league, and what it takes to win down the stretch. When you’re going to give up two goals a game or one goal a game, good things are going to happen. We’re just playing the right way. We’re not cheating for offense, we’re not beating ourselves, and that’s something we’ve done, especially in that home stand; we beat ourselves. Guys have made a conscious effort to make sure that’s not happening, and you can see the results. We’re playing the right way and we’re scoring four a night. You do that and give up two or less, good things are going to happen.”
Jon Cooper; 2/25/2024

Michael Eyssimont notched the game-winning powerplay goal with 2:18 remaining in the second period the last time the Lightning visited Philadelphia. Victor Hedman shot, and the puck rebounded wide to Nikita Kucherov. Before the Flyers could react on the penalty kill, Kucherov found Eyssimont in the middle of the slot for the finish. Eyssimont is hoping to snap a five-game point drought.

Here’s the tentative lineup for the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Hagel-Point-Kucherov
Stamkos-Paul-Sheary
Eyssimont-Cirelli-Chaffee
Crozier-Glendening-Motte

Hedman-Raddysh
De Haan-Carnak
Martinsen Lilleberg-Perbix

Vasilevskiy
(Johansson)

Philadelphia Flyers

Bobby Brink is recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Tortorella commented on the reports he gets from Brink with the Phantoms on the development of his game:

“I think he’s playing better. Hasn’t totally found his game, but I’m also concerned about some guys that are playing here, too.”
John Tortorella; 2/27/2024

Sean Couturier hasn’t been consistent lately, but did secure two primary assists on goals to Travis Sanheim and Tyson Foerster on Sunday. The assist to Sanheim came from a faceoff victory, and the feed to Foerster for a powerplay goal exhibited patience and vision from Couturier. Couturier buzzed in the offensive zone versus Tampa Bay earlier this season but couldn’t solve Vasilevskiy. He gets another crack at the ‘Big Cat.’

Here’s the tentative lineup for the Philadelphia Flyers, per Charlie O’Connor:

Farabee-Frost-Brink
Cates-Poehling-Hathaway
Tippett-Laughton-Atkinson
Deslauriers-Couturier-Lycksell

York-Sanheim
Seeler-Walker
Staal-Zamula

Ersson
(Petersen)