Flyers vs. Bruins, Game 44: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Don’t look now, but the Philadelphia Flyers (18-18-7) are getting hot.

They’ve won seven of their last eight games since returning from the holiday break. But they’ll face an extremely tough test in the Bruins (33-5-4) on Monday afternoon in Boston.

Twenty of the Bruins’ 33 wins have come on home ice. The Kraken recently gave them their first regulation loss at TD Garden last Thursday. You read that right, their first loss at home didn’t come until January.

In their last game, a late goal by Matt Grzelcyk put them back in the win column. Nine players recorded a point in the Bruins’ 4-3 win over Toronto.

The Flyers are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Capitals. Scott Laughton had two points in the 3-1 victory, while Carter Hart stopped 39 of the 40 shots he faced.

“Just gotta worry about getting better every day, take things one day at a time,” Hart said about the team’s mentality right now. “Can’t get too ahead of ourselves here. We’ve just gotta be ready to go every night.”

Carchidi: Oh, the Flyers’ Wacky Season, and Fans’ Mixed Reactions

This is the second of three meetings between the Flyers and Bruins. Boston cruised to a 4-1 victory in November. David Krejci scored twice, and Linus Ullmark stopped 22 out of 23 shots. Owen Tippett had Philadelphia’s only goal.

One of the battles to watch in this one will be on special teams. Boston has the league’s top penalty kill and fourth-best power play. Philadelphia has gone three straight games without allowing a power-play goal, but has the 29th ranked power play.

Flyers’ expected lines

van Riemsdyk – Frost – Tippett

Farabee – Cates – Konecny

Hayes – Laughton – Allison

Deslauriers – Brown – MacEwen

Defense

Provorov – York

Sanheim – DeAngelo

Seeler – Ristolainen

Goalie

Hart

Bruins’ expected lines

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

Hall – Krejci – Smith

Zacha – Coyle – Frederic

Foligno – Nosek – Greer

Defense

Grzelcyk – McAvoy

Lindholm – Carlo

Forbort – Clifton

Goalie

Ullmark

Breakaways

David Pastrnak has 19 goals and 32 points in 26 career games against the Flyers. … He leads the Bruins with 33 goals and 59 points. … James van Riemsdyk has 18 goals and 37 points in 47 career games against the Bruins. … Joel Farabee quietly has seven points in his last six games. … Ullmark (23-2-1) has been a rock for Boston, posting a 1.92 GAA and a .936 save percentage. … Hart (13-12-6), looking for his third straight win, has a 2.91 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

The Bruins have won the last three games against the Flyers. Philadelphia’s last victory at TD Garden came in April of 2021, winning on Travis Sanheim’s overtime goal.

The Flyers have won their last five road games, matching their most recent streak, set during the 2018-19 season.

Philadelphia has scored first in three straight games and four of its last six.

Appearing in their eighth back-to-back games of the season the Philadelphia Flyers are 2-4-1 in the opening game. They host lowly Anaheim on Tuesday.

How to watch, listen

TV: 1 p.m. on NBCSP | Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic