Marc DesRosiers-US PRESSWIRE
Tonight the Flyers are celebrating the return of veteran forward Danny Briere. Briere has been out of the lineup since January 21st with a concussion suffered in a game against the Devils. Danny scored 30 points for the Flyers through his first 43 games this season and hopefully he can pick up where he left off. The Flyers are beginning to fade behind the Rangers, especially after the head-to-head loss over the weekend, and the return of Briere definitely can’t hurt.
The Flyers should be able to gain some ground tonight playing host to the Islanders, but we can no longer take this matchup for granted apparently. The Islanders spanked the Fly Guys 4-1 in the teams’ last meeting back on January 19th, and a lot of the same problems have not been solved. The goalie struggles have continued and the Islanders won’t be compassionate tonight. They boast a surprisingly electric offense led by All-Star John Tavares and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 entering tonight’s game.
The Flyers have not exactly been a model of consistency this season, but they have not suffered a three-game losing streak yet this year. A loss tonight would add up to three straight, a record they’d like to avoid. They have not been sharp lately, 4-4-2 in their last 10, but maybe the return of Briere can light a fire under their butts tonight. Soft defense, consistently inconsistent goaltending, and streaky scoring has plagued the Flyers all season long. However, they’ll have to get it going soon before the Conference’s elite put themselves out of reach.
Section 215′s Prediction
Look for the Flyers to come out with some energy early on. After two really disheartening losses, they really need to come out and push the Islanders around in the first two periods. The goaltending has been shaky at best and hard to put a finger on, but Bryz will look to rebound from a horrendous game Sunday in which he allowed 4 goals against the Rangers. Expect him to play with a little more focus after some soft goals in the last one. I expect Wayne Simmonds to stay hot and fly around the ice a little bit tonight. Final Score: Flyers 3, Islanders 2.
Should be a great game. Make sure to tune in tonight at 7pm. Go Flyers.
Tags: Danny Briere, Ilya Bryzgalov, John Tavares, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Wayne Simmonds
Frank is currently studying Sports Management and Marketing at Temple University in North Philadelphia. He was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, a Philly sports fan all his life. His other interests include business, politics, travel, golf, and wrestling. You can reach Frank with questions or comments at his email address: 
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