Flyers-Penguins Preview: 2 Teams Going in Different Directions

For the Philadelphia Flyers, this isn’t exactly the best time to be facing the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins (10-7-3) have been up and down this season. Right now, they are in “up” mode. They have won four in a row.

The Flyers (7-8-5), meanwhile, are injury-depleted and have lost eight straight.

So it doesn’t take much to figure out which team is heavily favored when the teams meet Friday at the Wells Fargo Center at 5:30 p.m.

Oddly, this is the only time the bitter intrastate rivals will meet in Philadelphia this season. The NHL needs to do a better job with its scheduling.

Game notes

• Sidney Crosby has 11 points (4-7) in his last five games for the Penguins. In 80 career games against the Philadelphia Flyers, he has 120 points (51-69). Gulp.
• Both teams are struggling on defense. Pittsburgh is allowing 3.25 goals a game (19th in the NHL), while the Flyers are surrendering 3.20 (17th). But the Penguins are the much better offensive team, averaging 3.55 goals a a game (sixth), compared to the Flyers’ league-low 2.50 goals per contest.
• The Flyers lead the all-time series against Pittsburgh, 163-98-30-13.
• Philly is 24-7-4-1 in games played on Black Friday.
• The Flyers have fallen into a 2-0 deficit in half of their 20 games.
• Crosby and Jake Guentzel lead the Penguins with 10 goals apiece.
• Tristian Jarry (3.06 GAA, .910 save percentage) has made 12 starts for Pittsburgh, and Carter Hart (2.68, .920) has been the Flyers’ workhorse. Both are expected to get the call Friday.
• The Flyers are 4-4-1 at home, while the Pens are 6-5-2 on the road.
• Kevin Hayes has 16 points (7-9) in 30 career games vs. the Pens.
• The teams won’t meet again until March 11 in Pittsburgh.
• Nick Seeler leads the Flyers with a plus-9 rating. On the flip side, Hayes, Scott Laughton, Owen Tippett, and Tony DeAngelo are each minus-10. Laughton is among the Flyers’ six injured forwards.
• Former Flyer Jeff Carter, 37, has 11 points (3-8) in 17 games this season for the Penguins.

How to watch

The 5:30 p.m. game is on TNT.

Prediction

Penguins 4, Flyers 2.

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