NHL Preview from The Sports Network
Monday, February 25th
(All times Eastern)
Toronto Maple Leafs (11-8-0) at Philadelphia Flyers (9-10-1), 7 p.m.
(Sports Network) - James van Riemsdyk and the Toronto Maple Leafs routed a
visiting Philadelphia Flyers club two weeks ago, but the home team will be out
for revenge Monday night at Wells Fargo Center.
After providing a goal in a 5-2 pasting of the Flyers on Feb. 11, van Riemsdyk
will play his first game in Philadelphia since getting dealt to Toronto for
defenseman Luke Schenn during last year's NHL draft.
Van Riemsdyk, the second overall pick of the 2007 draft, has 11 goals and 15
points in 19 games with the Maple Leafs. He had 47 goals and 99 points over
his 196 games with Philadelphia.
Schenn has two goals and three assists in 20 tilts with the Flyers and leads
the club with a plus-six rating.
The Maple Leafs had lost five in a row against Philadelphia before recording
the home win earlier this month. The Flyers have won two straight and seven of
the last eight encounters in the City of Brotherly Love.
Toronto has a solid 7-4-0 record as the away team this season, while the
Flyers are 5-2-1 as the host.
Philly is 1-1-0 at the start of a five-game homestand and earned a comeback
victory in Saturday's meeting against the Winnipeg Jets. The Flyers trailed
3-1 in the second period, but scored the game's last four goals, including
three in the third period, to take a 5-3 decision.
Brayden Schenn, younger brother of Luke, posted two goals and one assist,
giving him six markers and 17 points on the season.
"We just said in the second intermission, we have to be able to thrive in
situations like this. Whether we are up 3-2 or down 3-2, we have to find a way
to win hockey games" said Brayden Schenn. "It was a huge two points"
Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds added a score and helper each for the Flyers,
who claimed their third win in four tries thanks to three power-play tallies.
Jakub Voracek also finished with three assists, giving him 12 points (4G, 8A)
over the last five games.
Ilya Bryzgalov made his 18th start in 20 games, and picked up the win with 34
saves as Philadelphia earned its first win this year (1-7-0) when trailing
after two periods.
The Flyers welcomed back forward Scott Hartnell on Saturday after a 16-game
absence due to a broken toe in his left foot and subsequent surgery. Hartnell
ended up with five shots on goal in nearly 15 minutes of ice time and was a
minus-one with two minor penalties.
Toronto had won three of four games heading into Saturday's game at Ottawa,
but the Maple Leafs were dealt a heart-breaking regulation setback in the
latest installment of the Battle of Ontario. Colin Greening scored with 23.4
seconds remaining to lift the Senators to the 3-2 victory at Scotiabank Place.
Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur lit the lamp for the Maple Leafs, while
Ben Scrivens made 32 saves in the loss.
"I think we gave the points away," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said.
With time winding down in regulation, Ottawa's Patrick Wiercioch fired a shot
on net from the right point. Scrivens made the save but left a rebound for
Greening, who batted the puck out of the air and into the net for the game-
winner.
Scrivens stopped 32-of-33 shots for Toronto when it beat the Flyers back on
Feb. 11. He entered the game early in the second period after James Reimer
went down with a sprained left knee. Scrivens has started all six games for
Toronto since Reimer's injury and has posted a 3-3-0 mark during that stretch.
Maple Leafs enforcer Colton Orr is expected to sit out a third straight game
on Monday with a lower-body injury.
02/25 10:49:26 ET

|