Scouting the Flyers

Things don’t get any easier for the Kings today, as the face a Philadelphia Flyers team that has lost only three times in 2011. The Flyers are 13-3-0 since the turn of the calendar and are now on a three-game winning streak, having outscored Nashville, Dallas and Carolina by a combined margin of 8-4. The Flyers handed the Kings a 7-4 thumping on Dec. 30 at Staples Center, but as of early this morning, the Flyers had not yet announced whether they will start Sergei Bobrovsky or Brian Boucher in goal. [UPDATE: Bobrovsky will start.] Both have played well of late. The Flyers are led by Claude Giroux, with 51 points in 54 games, and Jeff Carter, with 26 goals in 54 games. Here’s a sampling of stories from the Philadelphia media this morning, followed by the expected lineups for the Flyers and Kings…

Former Flyers coach Stevens returning to Philly with Kings

Playoff mentality shows up in February games

Flyers’ special teams preparing for postseason run

—–

FLYERS LINEUP
Scott Hartnell-Danny Briere-Ville Leino
Andreas Nodl-Claude Giroux-Jeff Carter
James van Riemsdyk-Mike Richards-Nikolai Zherdev
Daniel Carcillo-Blair Betts-Darroll Powe

Kimmo Timonen-Braydon Coburn
Chris Pronger Matt Carle
Andrej Meszaros-Sean O’Donnell

Sergei Bobrovsky

—–

KINGS LINEUP
Handzus-Kopitar-Simmonds
Clifford-Loktionov-Brown
Smyth-Stoll-Williams
Ponikarovsky-Lewis-Westgarth

Mitchell-Doughty
Johnson-Scuderi
Martinez-Greene

Quick