Flyers-Maple Leafs preview: Philly trying to end another skid     

The Philadelphia Flyers will be overwhelming underdogs Tuesday in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs will try to sweep the season series between the Eastern Conference teams.

The Flyers are getting 2.5 goals on FanDuel, a sign that a blowout loss is expected.

Philly, its lineup depleted by injuries, has lost five straight overall, and it has been outscored, 9-3, in its two defeats against Toronto this season.

The Flyers (23-42-11), who were swept by Buffalo over the weekend, already have losing streaks of 13, 10, and six games this season.

Toronto (50-20-6), which has set a franchise record for victories in a season, has won 10 of its last 12 games and has one of the NHL’s most potent offenses. The Leafs average 3.86 goals per game (third in the NHL); the Flyers are averaging just 2.57 goals a game (30^th).

Storylines

Auston Mathews, who has 58 goals and 102 points, is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, but the Maple Leafs have plenty of other weapons, including Mitch Marner (94 points), William Nylander (74 points), and John Tavares (74).

For the Flyers, it’s all about the kids gaining some experience that will help them down the road. Winger Noah Cates is among the rookies who has looked very good in his short time in the NHL.

Flyers’ projected lineup

Line 1:  Kevin Hayes centering Cates and Travis Konecny.

Line 2: Scott Laughton centering James van Riemsdyk and Bobby Brink.

Line 3: Morgan Frost centering Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett. Frost’s dad, Andy, used to be the Maple Leafs’ public-address announcer, so this is a homecoming for the young center.)

Line 4: Nate Thompson centering Oskar Lindblom and Zack MacEwen.

Defense: Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim; Egor Zamula and Kevin Connauton; Keith Yandle and Ronnie Attard.

Goalie:  Martin Jones.

Numbers Dept.

The Leafs have the NHL’s best power play (27.8% success rate); the Flyers have the league’s worst (12.3%). Philadelphia’s power play is 1 for 24 over the last nine games.

The second period has been the Flyers’ biggest problem all season as they have been outscored, 96-67, in that stanza.

Who’s hot?

Rookie Michael Bunting, who has 63 points and is plus-30, has six points and is plus-6 over his last three games for the Leafs. He had two assists in Toronto’s 6-3 win over the Flyers on April 2.

For the Flyers, defenseman Travis Sanheim has five points over the last six games. He is four points shy of his career high (35 points).

Projected goalie matchup­­­

Jones ( 3.51 GAA, .898 save percentage) is expected face Erik Kallgren (3.02, .895).

How to watch

NBCSP, 7 p.m.

How to bet

Money line (FanDuel)

Flyers: plus-360.

Maple Leafs: minus-480.

Prediction

Maple Leafs 5, Flyers 2.

Prediction record: 29-12.