The Flyers (12-13-2) will try for a rare win at Joe Louis Arena when they continue their six-game road trip with a matchup against the depleted Detroit Red Wings (14-7-7) on Wednesday evening.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be featured on NBCSN’s Rivalry Night. It also can be streamed on NBCSports.com.
Here are a few things you need to know:
1. Huge break
Obviously the big storyline for this game is that the Red Wings will be without their dynamic duo of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. The two forwards have combined for 23 goals and 30 assists this season, but will watch Detroit take on the Flyers from the press box.
The Wings have won all four of their games since Datsyuk went down with a head injury, but are now presented a whole new challenge with Zetterberg out for an extended period of time. Red Wings GM Ken Holland announced Tuesday that Zetterberg, Detroit’s captain, will miss at least two weeks with a small herniated disc.
This is a huge break for the Flyers, but they should know better than to underestimate a shorthanded opponent. The Flyers have already lost to the Alexander Ovechkin-less Washington Capitals and the Steven Stamkos-less Tampa Bay Lightning this year.
“Detroit is playing well lately at home, playing a lot better,” Flyers coach Craig Berube said Tuesday (see story). “They’re skating well. It will be a tough game. They skate well, they come at you.”
The Wings are also missing top-six forward Todd Bertuzzi (bruised shoulder) and a key blueliner in Danny DeKeyser (separated left shoulder).
The Flyers blew a chance to get over .500 and move into third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday. They need to cash in on this opportunity.
2. Lecavalier questionable
Vinny Lecavalier missed practice for the second day in a row on Tuesday. The Flyers’ big offseason acquisition is hampered by back spasms and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game.
One of the bigger concerns when the Flyers handed Lecavalier a five-year, $22.5 million contract in July was that the forward has been injury-prone over the past few seasons.
Lecavalier has already missed five games this season because of three separate injuries. He said he’s never experienced back spasms in his 14-year NHL career, but is working closely with trainers to get through it.
The 33-year-old has been productive when in the lineup for the Flyers. His nine goals lead the team and he’s collected 14 points through 22 games.
If Lecavalier can’t go against Detroit, Brayden Schenn will likely remain at center on the second line. Wayne Simmonds and Michael Raffl were on his wings in the loss to Minnesota.
3. Wingin’ it
If you’re wondering why the Red Wings have been able to succeed without Datsyuk in the lineup, look no further than 40-year-old Daniel Alfredsson and hard-hitting defenseman Niklas Kronwall.
In four games since returning from a groin injury, Alfredsson has potted four goals and assisted on three more. The first-year Red Wing has had a smooth transition to the Motor City. He already has 21 points in 23 games this season.
As for Kronwall, there may not be a hotter defenseman in the NHL right now. The 32-year-old, who is better known for his devastating body checks, has picked up two markers and seven helpers during a six-game point streak.
4. House of horrors
To say the Flyers have struggled at Joe Louis Arena would be a severe understatement.
Dating back to Nov. 1, 1989, the orange and black have just one win, 16 losses and two ties at “The Joe” in 19 regular-season contests. They also dropped two games there during the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, when the Red Wings swept the Flyers in four games. Ouch, that still stings.
In their last trip to Detroit, the Flyers dominated -- for two periods at least -- before collapsing in a 5-2 loss on Oct. 12. Erik Gustafsson and Tye McGinn scored for the Flyers. The Wings had four players register three points -- Zetterberg (two goals, one assist), Datsyuk (one goal, two assists), Kronwall (one goal, two assists) and Alfredsson (three assists).
5. This and that
• Jakub Voracek has not scored a goal in 10 straight games. He has just three this season after collecting a career-high 22 in last year’s lockout-shortened campaign.
• The Red Wings burned the Flyers for three power-play goals in the last meeting between these two teams. The Flyers took seven penalties in that game.
• The Flyers have scored two or fewer goals in 21 of their 27 games.
• Detroit has outscored its opponents 18-4 during its current four-game winning streak.
• Steve Mason is 6-1-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average in his last eight games.