The annual Black Friday game, while my family personally set up Christmas decorations (a tradition in the Stumpo household), is finally here. The 14-3-1 Carolina Hurricanes come into Philadelphia to take on the 8-6-4 Flyers. The game is on at 3:30pm ET on NBCSP, the Flyers first afternoon game of the year.

Carter Hart will get the nod tonight after Martin Jones put up a stellar performance in-front of the boys against the Florida Panthers. I feel like a broke record at the point, but the goaltending yet again, was the only reason the Flyers were able to stay in that game at first. The first 5 minutes on Wednesday was one of the most tilted starts to a period I’ve seen.

Of course Farabee ended up opening the scoring because….hockey.

Hart is currently 5-4-4 on the season, holding a 2.40 GAA and a .928 SV%. His latest game came against the Lightning in that 4-0 loss on Tuesday. Hart was the starter when the Flyers handed the Hurricanes their 2nd regulation loss of the season on November 12th. He saved 39 of 40, standing on his head countless times, to help lead the Flyers to a 2-1 win. Hart will have to be just as good today against a very skilled and relentless Hurricanes club.

We got an update on forward Derick Brassard today. According to AV, Brassard suffered a lower-body strain and hopes to have him back in a week to 10 days. It’s never good news when a player has to miss any time, hope Brassard can get healthy and back in the line up very soon.

The Hurricanes will start Freddy Anderson today. Anderson is currently 11-3-0 on the year and has a 1.90 GAA, and a .935 SV%. The Flyers still haven’t scored more than 3 goals since their 5-3 win in Edmonton on October 27th (5-3), and Anderson won’t be any easier for the boys today.

Max Willman was sent back down to the Phantoms earlier this morning. In 6 games, Willman had 0 points, 6 shots on goal and was a -3. About 20 minutes after, the Flyers turned around and called up F Connor Bunnaman. In 16 games with the Leigh High Valley Phantoms, Bunnaman has 1G-1A-2P. He’ll slot into the 4th line next to Nate Thompson and Oskar Lindblom.

Projected Line up vs the Carolina Hurricanes

Claude Giroux – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny

Joel Farabee – Morgan Frost – Cam Atkinson

James van Riemsdyk – Scott Laughton – Zack MacEwen

Oskar Lindblom – Nate Thompson – Max Willman

Ivan Provorov – Rasmus Ristolainen

Travis Sanheim – Nick Seeler

Keith Yandle – Justin Braun

Carter Hart

I feel like a broken record at this point. The Flyers power play has been absolutely abysmal this season. They’re 1 for their last 14 on the man-advantage, and at times, look like they haven’t ran a power play in their careers. The 2nd unit last game in Florida couldn’t even get set up.

I actually think today is going to be a good game. We played them well when we went into their building and took a 2-1 win, in what was Carter Harts best game as a Flyers in my opinion. With the way Hart is playing right now, I refuse to count them out of any game, but that doesn’t mean shit if the offense doesn’t wake up.

MANDATORY CREDIT: Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images