In January, the Flyers had their best opening month to a season since 2002-03.
But they'll have to play much better the rest of the 2020-21 season if they want to compete for the East Division and contend for the Stanley Cup.
Taking a four-game winning streak into February, the Flyers (7-2-1) will try to find consistency in their hard-on-the-attack, pin-you-back system when they welcome the Bruins (6-1-2) for a two-game set starting Wednesday.
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Let's get into the essentials for the game:
- When: 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Wells Fargo Center
- Broadcast: NBC Sports Network
- Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app
• The last time the Flyers lost, it came via back-to-back gut punches from Boston. About a week and a half ago, the Bruins swept a two-game set from the Flyers at TD Garden as they put up 10 goals, seven of which came during the third period.
Carter Hart stomached both of the losses (0-1-1) and his stick took the brunt of his frustration. The 22-year-old goalie has regrouped since then, going 2-0-0 with 59 saves on 62 shots.
NHL
• Boston used its victories over the Flyers as a springboard. Including those wins, the Bruins have gone 5-0-1 following their 1-1-1 start in which they didn't have an even strength goal.
"They really took it to us in the third period of the first game and in the second game," Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Wednesday morning. "That was a little more than a week ago. We're looking forward to this opportunity tonight here to get back at one of the best teams in the league."
To boot, David Pastrnak has returned from a hip injury, scoring three points (two goals, one assist) in his first two games.
Since the forgettable trip to Boston, the Flyers haven't dominated but they've rediscovered some of their 2019-20 mojo.
Here's how they've responded:
- Record: 4-0-0
- Goals per game: 3.75
- Goals allowed per game: 2.25
- PP percentage: 25.0
- PK percentage: 93.3
• After going with Robert Hagg for more size and physicality against the Islanders on Sunday, Vigneault will put the offensive-minded Erik Gustafsson back in the lineup. It will mark the sixth straight game in which the Flyers have used a different combination of six defensemen.
"I'm looking for the six best defensemen that give us a chance to play on any given night," Vigneault said. "So far, on our third pair, one guy or two guys haven't stood out to say that they deserve to play on a regular and nightly basis."
Gustafsson has two assists over his last two games. He was a healthy scratch last Tuesday and Sunday.
The offseason acquisition was hard on himself before the Flyers' 3-2 OT win Saturday over the Islanders.
"I haven't done anything good on the ice so far," he said. "I think I have to be better with the puck, without the puck and be stronger in front of our net. I think I haven't shown the coaches yet what I can do out there."
Projected lineup
Forwards
Claude Giroux-Nolan Patrick-Jakub Voracek
Oskar Lindblom-Kevin Hayes-Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk-Scott Laughton-Joel Farabee
Michael Raffl-Connor Bunnaman-Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defensemen
Ivan Provorov-Shayne Gostisbehere
Travis Sanheim-Philippe Myers
Erik Gustafsson-Justin Braun
Goalies
Carter Hart
Brian Elliott
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