Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Flyers will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night in their 20th game of the regular season. The Flyers, under coach John Tortorella, have a record of 8-9-2, while Rod Brind'Amour's Hurricanes stand at 13-4-0. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. EST at the Wells Fargo Center and will be broadcast on NBCSP and radio station 93.3 WMMR.

This meeting marks the second clash between these Metropolitan Division teams this season, with their final encounter set for March 15, 2025, also in Philadelphia. Previously on November 5 in Raleigh, the Flyers lost to the Hurricanes 6-4 after conceding a decisive goal with just seconds left in regulation.

A significant focus for the Flyers will be improving puck possession against one of NHL's top teams in that aspect. In their last encounter with Carolina, they faced an overwhelming disparity in shot attempts and struggled defensively despite improvements noted recently.

Shot suppression remains a strength for Tortorella’s team as they lead the league in blocked shots per game and takeaways but continue to face challenges with scoring from centers—a department where they've lagged behind other teams this season.

Special teams play is another critical area; while starting strong earlier this season, Philly's power play has faltered recently. Conversely, their penalty kill remains robust but is marred by undisciplined penalties which have been costly.

The Hurricanes arrive riding a wave of success with eight wins out of their last ten games. Martin Necas has emerged as a key player with notable performances including his recent four-point contribution against St. Louis.

Carolina has managed well despite injuries affecting key players like goaltender Frederik Andersen, relying on Pyotr Kochetkov who has stepped up effectively between the posts.