Before they celebrate the holidays, the Flyers will aim for a fourth straight win.
Ahead of the NHL-mandated holiday break from Dec. 24-26, the Flyers (20-11-5) host the Rangers (17-14-4) Monday in the first of four meetings between the clubs.
Let's get into the essentials:
• When: 7 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Wells Fargo Center
• Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app
• What made Joel Farabee such an attractive option for the Flyers' roster this season was the 19-year-old's competitiveness. The Flyers love the way he pursues the puck and competes on every shift despite weighing around a modest 170 pounds.
Farabee returns Monday from a three-game suspension for a late hit Dec. 15 on Jets forward Mathieu Perreault. Moments before the interference, Farabee was crosschecked in the back (and Alain Vigneault was not happy with the no whistle).
While Farabee and the Flyers understand the hit was late, the rookie wants to set a precedent. He also dropped the gloves over that road trip.
NHL
“Just my mindset is I’m not going to give in to any of that stuff," he said Monday after morning skate. "I like to compete out there. Some guy gives it to me, I’ll give it right back to them.”
Vigneault and the Flyers are looking for Farabee to be himself.
“I’m just starting to get to know the young man like you guys, but I think what you see is what you get — highly skilled but he’s got bite," the Flyers' head coach said last Wednesday. "It’s unfortunate the player got hit but this is a physical game. He was finishing a check, he was late, there’s no doubt. But I don’t think that’s going to change at all how he plays.”
• Vigneault coached the Rangers from 2013 to 2018. Hayes played for the Rangers from 2014 into last season.
On Monday, they face their old club for the first time.
It’s my first official game [against the Rangers]. There’s no doubt that for me the Rangers were a special time in my life and this is going to be a special game.
- Vigneault
I absolutely loved it there. Those were like the best years of my life, I made friendships that I’ll have for the rest of my life, memories that I’ll have forever. I love that city.
It was a great five years, but they’ve moved on, I’ve moved on.
It’s a new season, I’m on a new team, I’ve loved every second I’ve been here. It’s a different type of city, different fan base.
- Hayes
• Ivan Provorov did not partake in morning skate because he has the flu. Provorov has never missed a game in his NHL career.
“He said, ‘There’s not a chance I’m not playing,’” Vigneault said.
So that's that.
Projected lineup
Forwards
Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk-Kevin Hayes-Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Joel Farabee-Morgan Frost-Jakub Voracek
Andy Andreoff-Mikhail Vorobyev-Tyler Pitlick
Defensemen
Ivan Provorov-Matt Niskanen
Travis Sanheim-Justin Braun
Shayne Gostisbehere-Philippe Myers
Goalies
Carter Hart
Brian Elliott
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