The Philadelphia Flyers (13-13-6) head into Anaheim to face off against the Ducks (17-11-7) without Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov, who were both put on the COVID protocol list this afternoon. Scott Laughton and Carter Hart will make their returns to the lineup after also being on the protocol list themselves. You can catch the last game of this annoying west-coast trip at 10pm on NBCSP.

This is the first of two meetings between these two teams. Hopefully, on April 9th, both teams will have their actual starting lineups out there and not their AHL affiliates.

Despite looking like garbage this entire road trip, the Flyers have a chance to collect five out of the possible eight points that were available to them coming in.

Carter Hart, after dealing with the flu and COVID in back-to-back weeks, officially makes his return to the Flyers lineup tonight. Hart is currently 7-8-4 on the season, with a 2.74 GAA and a .918 SV%.

It’ll be nice to get him back in the lineup, but the Flyers really need to find a way to not let him get showered with shots. Let’s try and make this kids return to the lineup somewhat easy, is that too much to ask?

Losing Giroux and Provorov to the protocol list is obviously a huge blow. Giroux leads the team with 29 points (11G-18A) and Ivan Provorov hasn’t missed a game since April 24th, 2016.

Yeah, everyone can agree Provorov hasn’t had the best year (along with basically the entire team), but the fact that he’ll have his streak of 403 consecutive games played snapped tonight is heartbreaking.

The Flyers aren’t the only ones missing some key players from their lineup. Zegras, Getzlaf, Grant, and Nick Deslauriers are all on the protocol list for the Ducks. It’s going to be the Gulls vs Phantoms tonight, let’s play some shitty hockey!

The fun news, if there is any, is top defensive prospect Cam York will make his season debut tonight. Getting to play in your hometown, in the same building you grew up watching games in, is really cool. I’m excited for York and his family, that has to be a cool feeling for everyone.

Flyers Line up vs the Ducks

JvR – Laughton – Atkinson

Mayhew – Hayes – Farabee

Lindblom – Frost – Konecny

Willman – Brown – MacEwen

York – Braun

Sanheim – Ristolainen

Yandle – Connauton

Hart

What is that second line? I understand we’re depleted right now, but I’d rather have Willman with Hayes and Farabee than Gerry Mayhew. I mean, what are we doing here? Watching York should be fun, but that third pair still gives me nightmares.

Have To Step Up

With Giroux and Provorov now out, I’m looking at Travis Konecny to step up and deliver for the Flyers. He has nine assists in his last ten games, and that’s great and all, but I need goals. Konecny has zero goals in his last seventeen games, so him stepping up tonight and giving this team a jolt of energy is desperately needed.

Joel Farabee is another player I’m looking at to create some energy tonight. He has four points (3G-1A) in his last five games and has looked extremely confident with the puck. He took a feed from Morgan Frost against the Kings, deked a defenseman out of his shoes, and almost scored. Really need Joel to step up tonight.

Parx Sportsbook

If you’re feeling a win in this battle of the AHL affiliates, the Flyers ML at +140 on Parx Sportsbook is your bet. It’s not a bad bet to take considering the line ups both these teams are throwing out there tonight.

Mandatory Credit: Zack Hill - Flyers PR