The 21-21-and-4 Detroit Red Wings face off against the 21-20-and-6 Philadelphia Flyers this evening (7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/NBC Sports Philadelphia/Sportsnet One/97.1 FM). Detroit’s on a two-game losing streak, and as you’ll find out below, the Flyers have been doing very well of late.
The Red Wings recalled Elmer Soderblom this morning, and we’ll find out shortly whether Soderblom will play this evening. In the interim, PhiladelphiaFlyers.com’s Bill Meltzer posted “5 Things” to watch in tonight’s game, including the following:
Entering Tuesday’s game, the Flyers have gone 4-0-1 over their past five teams to climb back into the Eastern Conference Wild Card picture. The Red Wings had been scorching hot as they rattled off a seven-game winning streak. However, the club is just 1-3-0 over its last four games including a 5-1 loss in Tampa on Saturday and a 4-1 setback in Dallas on Sunday.
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Between the pipes: Since the league-wide holiday break and a return from a recurring lower-body injury, Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson has posted a 6-1-0 record, 1.66 goals against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout (vs. Anaheim). Overall for the season, the Swede has improved to 13-7-2 with a 2.79 GAA and .889 save percentage.
On the Detroit side, ex-Flyer Cam Talbot is 4-1-0 over his five appearances. He turned back 41 of 43 shots in an upset road win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers but got roughed up by Tampa (five goals on 16 shots) before being relieved by fellow ex-Flyer Alex Lyon.
Lyon got the start in Dallas on Sunday, stopping 21 of 25 shots in the 4-1 loss. Dating back to the Christmas break, Talbot has made six starts to five for Lyon.
…
Between the pipes: Since the league-wide holiday break and a return from a recurring lower-body injury, Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson has posted a 6-1-0 record, 1.66 goals against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout (vs. Anaheim). Overall for the season, the Swede has improved to 13-7-2 with a 2.79 GAA and .889 save percentage.
On the Detroit side, ex-Flyer Cam Talbot is 4-1-0 over his five appearances. He turned back 41 of 43 shots in an upset road win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers but got roughed up by Tampa (five goals on 16 shots) before being relieved by fellow ex-Flyer Alex Lyon.
Lyon got the start in Dallas on Sunday, stopping 21 of 25 shots in the 4-1 loss. Dating back to the Christmas break, Talbot has made six starts to five for Lyon.
Flyers coach John Tortorella shared information in his pre-morning skate press conference…
Lineup update for #DETvsPHI:
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 21, 2025
• Forward Rodrigo Abols is expected to make his NHL debut.
• Goaltender Samuel Ersson starts in net.
• Forward Scott Laughton (personal-family matter) is unavailable tonight. https://t.co/dRdxl3nkbi
Samuel Ersson is 6-1-0 with a 1.66 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout since the holiday break.
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) January 21, 2025
Ersson gets the start in goal. Rodrigo Abols will make his NHL debut, as Scott Laughton is going to miss the game with a family/personal matter.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) January 21, 2025
I'm told that Joel Farabee is going to take the lead on Pride Night off-ice outreach tonight with Laughton not here.
If you recall, Scott Laughton scored 4 goals against Detroit in the Flyers’ 4-1 victory in December…
Detroit Hockey Now’s Tim Robinson also posted a game preview which notes the Wings’ bad luck in Philly…
The Wings are treading water in the Estern Conference while the teams they need to beat are on hot streaks.
Add to that this depressing stat: Detroit is 2-20 at Philadelphia in recent years.
It’s been an arduous road trip, but Detroit could finish with a 2-2 mark against teams that have bedeviled them in the past and could feel good about that.
But they are six points out o a playoff spot, having lost ground while away from home.
They’ve gotten much more offensive production from Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane, while LucS Raymond is living up to the contract extension he signed over the summer, earning high p[rise from coach Todd McLellan.
Detroit is back in a position where the Wings have to pass one team at a time, having slid to 14th place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Philadelphia.
The Flyers are one of those streaking teams, having won their last two and four of their last five games.
Here are tonight’s game notes:
Meanwhile, the Flyers “held an optional”…
Flyers holding an optional morning skate ahead of tonight’s game with Detroit. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/IXQ8G2vaEJ
— Christopher Babos (@CBabosWrites) January 21, 2025
Today's morning skate is looking optional. Erik Johnson is back on the ice. Seeler, Lycksell, Abols, Brink, Cates, and all three goalies are skating as well. #LetsGoFlyers
— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) January 21, 2025
But the Flyers’ media was busy attending GM Daniel Briere’s mid-season press conference:
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere answers questions during Tuesday’s midseason press conference at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J. pic.twitter.com/fTXfk7J1aL
— wayne fish (@waynefish1) January 21, 2025
Philly Hockey Now’s Dylan James believes that the Flyers will ice the following lineup:
Forwards
Owen Tippett – Morgan Frost – Travis Konecny
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Joel Farabee – Sean Couturier – Matvei Michkov
Olle Lycksell – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Defensemen
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Egor Zamula – Rasmus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Goalie
Sam Ersson
The Red Wings hit the ice in Philadelphia at 11 AM:
Elmer Söderblom on the ice this morning in Philly pic.twitter.com/4CJcOCxG3r
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) January 21, 2025
Elmer Söderblom on the ice this morning 👀#LGRW pic.twitter.com/Y6yAc2D3mR
— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) January 21, 2025
Söderblom skating with Rasmussen and Fischer this morning
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) January 21, 2025
Elmer Söderblom at Red Wings morning skate in Philly, on line with Michael Rasmussen and Christian Fischer. pic.twitter.com/er34RIj281
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) January 21, 2025
Alex Lyon starts for Wings at Philly
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) January 21, 2025
