NHL Game of the Week: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Florida Panthers

One of the most intriguing matchups in the NHL world this week is the Flordia Panthers versus the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Panthers will stay in Pennsylvania after losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Tuesday night.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season. When they played back in early November, the Panthers came out on top with a 4-3 win in a shootout.

Last year was a great year for the Panthers as they were able to win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers were a challenge for the eventual cup champions. They won two out of the three matchups the teams played.

As of late, the Flyers have been one of the best teams in hockey. They are in fifth place in the Metropolitan division with 27 points and are 7-2-1 in their last ten games.

Travis Konecny has been the Flyers' best player all year. He leads the team in points with 30 (13 G, 17 A) in 25 games.

Konecny was on a tear last month, having 20 points in the 14 games the Flyers played in November.

Along with Konecny, the Flyers have seen contributions from other players. Most notably rookie sensation Matvei Michkov. The Russian forward has come over and been the catalyst for the Flyers, scoring 19 points (9 G, 10 A).

Michkov has been incredibly impactful in overtime. He has three overtime goals this season, which ties him for the lead with the most overtime goals with Leon Draisaitl.

The Panthers are trying to repeat this year, and they have been off to a great start. They are second in the Atlantic division with a 15-9-2 record for 32 points this season.

They have struggled recently, with a 4-5-1 record in their last ten games.

For the Panthers, a familiar face is leading them in points: Sam Reinhart has 34 points (18 G, 16 A) in 26 games played this year. He led the team in points last season with 94 points (57 G, 37 A) in his best season in the NHL.

Reinhart’s 18 goals lead the league for the category.

The depth of the Panthers helped them win the Stanley Cup last year, and that depth is showing again. They have five players with at least 20 points this season.

Along with depth, the Panthers also have an advantage in goal. Although not having the best season, Sergei Bobrovsky is still one of the best goalies in the league.

He currently has a .890 save percentage and a 3.04 goals-against average. The stats might not look great, but the Panthers have won 11 games with Bobrovsky in net.

If he doesn’t start, it will be Spencer Knight for the Panthers. He is having a better season than Bobrovsky so far. In ten games, Knight has posted a .896 save percentage and 2.60 GAA.

For the Flyers, they have multiple options in goal. It could be the return of Samuel Ersson, who was injured. He has a .902 save percentage and 2.70 GAA this season.

If Ersson isn’t ready, we will see Ivan Fedotov or Aleksei Kolosov. Both have been outstanding in the absence of Ersson.

After a rough start to the season, Fedotov has turned it around and is playing much better in recent games.

Kolosov had a similar start to Fedotov but has turned it around since allowing the Flyers to go on the hot streak that they have been on.

This matchup will certainly be one you want to watch. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5. at the Wells Fargo Center.

Andrew Matz is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email atm5759@psu.edu