Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Flyers are set to face the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday evening at the Wells Fargo Center. Both teams have struggled in recent games, with the Flyers seeking their first win of January and the Ducks aiming to end a two-game losing streak.

Saturday's matchup marks the second and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The Flyers previously secured a 3-1 victory over the Ducks in Anaheim on December 28, despite a slow start in that game.

The Flyers recently returned from a road trip with a 2-2-1 record but have since faced consecutive home losses against Toronto and Dallas. The Ducks, on the other hand, enjoyed a brief winning streak post-Christmas but have stumbled in their last two outings.

One notable development for Saturday's game is Swedish forward Olle Lycksell's expected presence in the Flyers' lineup. Head coach John Tortorella indicated that Lycksell "nowadays seems capable of holding his own when given an opportunity to play in NHL games."

In terms of line combinations, Tortorella has been experimenting following Thursday's loss to Dallas. Sean Couturier and Ryan Poehling swapped roles recently, while Owen Tippett joined leading scorer Travis Konecny on a line. A new combination featuring Morgan Frost centering Tippett and Konecny showed promise during practice.

Owen Tippett has shown signs of potentially entering one of his characteristic hot streaks after a period of low scoring productivity. His performance against Dallas mirrored previous games where he began heating up offensively.

Saturday's game will also see Ducks rookie Cutter Gauthier play his first match in Philadelphia since being traded for defenseman Jamie Drysdale last year. While neither team is focusing on this storyline, both players are looking to improve their form as they adjust to NHL competition.

Anaheim continues its rebuild around centers Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson, who are gaining experience through growing pains typical for young players in their early NHL careers.

The game will be broadcasted on NBCSP and can be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic or online via Flyers Radio 24/7.