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Flyers-Blackhawks preview: Philly aiming for first 3-game win streak since Dec.     

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Felix Sandstrom, Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers have momentum on their side.



Coming off victories over Montreal and Pittsburgh, they will aim for their first three-game winning streak since Dec. 10-14 when they play Monday night in Chicago.

Philly (25-43-11) will be playing on back-to-back nights.

Chicago (26-42-11), which dropped a 4-1 decision Saturday in San Jose, suffered a 4-3 loss to the host Flyers on March 5, the teams’ only other meeting this season.

The Flyers (61 points) have the NHL’s fourth-worst record and are just one point behind New Jersey (62). Chicago (63 points) has the sixth-worst record. The lower teams finish, the better their chances in the draft lottery.

Storylines

Both teams are trying to incorporate young players into their lineup. The Flyers’ Kid Line of Noah-Cates, Morgan Frost and Owent Tippett excelled in Sunday’s 4-1 upset win over Pittsburgh.

Familiar faces: Frost used to be linemates with Chicago rookies Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk in the Ontario Hockey League.

Flyers’ projected lineup

Line 1:  Kevin Hayes centering Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny. (Hayes was the Flyers’ nominee Monday for the Masterton Trophy.)

Line 2: Joel Farabee centering James van Riemsdyk and Bobby Brink.

Line 3: Frost centering Cates and Tippett.

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

Defense: Ivan Provorov and Ronnie Attard; Linus Hogberg and Travis Sanheim; Keith Yandle and Egor Zamula.

Goalie:  Felix Sandstrom.

Numbers Dept.

Both teams are near the bottom of the league in most stats, including goals scored and goals allowed. Chicago has just two wins in its last 14 games  (2-10-2), and has been outscored by a 60-35 margin in that span. During that time, the Flyers are 4-11.

Chicago’s Patrick Kane (91 points), a future Hall of Famer who had a certain goal you may remember in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, and Konecny (51) lead their teams in scoring. Kane is on a dangerous line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome.

Who’s hot?

DeBrincat has nine points (1-8) in his last six games.

For the Flyers, Cates has seven points (3-4) in his last five games.

Projected goalie matchup­­­

Sandstrom (3.16 GAA, .905 save percentage) is expected to face Kevin Lankinen (3.62, .887). Sandstrom (0-2-1) is aiming for his first NHL win.

How to watch

ESPN+, Hulu, 8 p.m.

How to bet

Money line (FanDuel)

Flyers: plus-116.

Blackhawks: minus-140.

Prediction

Blackhawks 3, Flyers 2.

Prediction record: 30-13.

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JEFFERY SAVAGE

Great article. Most of the Flyers fans on the Phil. Inquirer blog are hoping Our Boys lose so that they can get a higher position in the draft. I do not feel that way. I hope the Flyers actually win tonight. The “so called Kids Line” looked good in their win over the pens.

Jeff S. Diehard Flyers/Giroux fan from Denver, CO

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