Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Flyers are set to face the Montreal Canadiens in a Thursday evening matchup at the Wells Fargo Center. Interim head coach Brad Shaw will lead the Flyers, who currently hold a 28-36-9 record, against the Canadiens, coached by Martin St. Louis with a 33-28-9 record. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT and will be televised on NBCSP. Fans can also listen to the radio broadcast on 97.5 The Fanatic or through the online simulcast on Flyers Radio 24/7.

This game marks the second of three encounters between the Flyers and Canadiens this season. The previous meeting on October 27 at the Wells Fargo Center ended with the Flyers losing 4-3. The teams will face each other once more on April 5 in Montreal.

The Flyers have been struggling recently, coming off a five-game road trip with a record of 0-4-1 and a 1-10-1 record over their last 12 games. The team looks to address several issues, including offensive consistency, special teams performance, and goaltender play, all of which have been below par. Head coach Shaw's immediate task is to restore the team's defensive structure, which has suffered notably in the past two games with losses to the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens are in the midst of a battle for a wildcard playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They currently lead their closest competitors, including the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ryan Poehling has been a standout for the Flyers, stepping up in offensive situations since the NHL trade deadline. Poehling has contributed significantly over the past week, scoring six points in the last six games. Additionally, Flyers captain Sean Couturier is on a four-game point streak and is tasked with leading the team alongside other veteran players to maintain focus and unity.

The Flyers have faced significant challenges with their special teams, especially the power play, which has failed to score in 31 attempts during March. Their penalty-killing unit also needs improvement, having allowed 10 power play goals against this month.

The focus for the Flyers, as emphasized by Shaw, is to overcome distractions and maintain a game-by-game focus to improve their performance on the ice.