Philadelphia's season has been a lot rougher. Rick Tocchet's group opened 0-6-3, a 9-game skid that set a franchise record for the worst start to a season, and in the middle of it Tocchet admitted he had no answers. Then the Flyers won 3 straight, including a 3-2 home win over Colorado and a 3-1 win in Buffalo, and it looked like the corner had been turned.
It hasn't, not completely. As of Sunday the Flyers have lost 3 straight again, but 2 of those were 1-goal losses at home: 5-4 to Anaheim, when the Ducks rallied to snap their own 5-game skid, and 4-3 to Columbus. The 5-2 loss in Washington was the only one where they got run. They're finding offense now. They just can't hold a lead or close a game out.
The schedule matters too. Philadelphia last played October 28 and gets a long layoff before Tuesday, which is either a reset or rust. Minnesota is finishing a stretch of 5 games in 9 days, 4 of them on the road, with 1 day off between Washington and Philly. On a full legs-versus-rhythm comparison, the Flyers have the fresher roster and the Wild have the team that's been playing well.
The Flyers' blue line is thin without Rasmus Ristolainen (hand), and Nikita Grebenkin is out for months after back surgery. The name to watch on the other side is Faber, who has cleared return-to-play protocol after a skull injury and could resume skating within days. He won't be playing Tuesday on that timeline, but it shows Minnesota's defense is close to getting a key piece back. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET.
