On Tuesday, the Flyers will play the first of their Florida back-to-backs, with a date at BB&T against the Panthers.
Steve Mason will get the nod.
That, of course, sets up some intrigue for tomorrow’s game at Amalie against the Bolts -- Anthony Stolarz, the netminding prospect recalled after Michal Neuvirth went down to injury, could make his first big league start.
For those unfamiliar with Stolarz, he’s widely considered to be Philly’s goalie of the future. The 22-year-old was taken 45th overall at the 2012 draft -- the same class that produced Andrei Vasilevskiy, Malcolm Subban, Frederik Andersen and Connor Hellebuyck -- and has been great in AHL Lehigh Valley this year, going 6-2-0 with a .927 save percentage and 2.39 GAA.
As Brough wrote yesterday, Stolarz’s debut will almost certainly come this week, if it doesn’t happen on Wednesday. After the Lightning tilt, the Flyers are back in action on Friday afternoon, when they host the Rangers (on NBC), then wrap things up on Sunday with a home tilt against Calgary.
“If my name is called, I’ll be ready,” Stolarz said, per CSN Philly. “I’ve [made] huge strides in my game. I like where I am at.”
For the Panthers, Roberto Luongo’s in goal this evening.
Elsewhere...
-- Jake Allen, coming off a 30-save win over Nashville on Saturday, is in for the Blues. He’ll be up against Tuukka Rask, who makes his sixth straight start for the B’s.
-- Cam Ward, the NHL’s reigning second star of the week, is now in full command of Carolina’s starting gig (Eddie Lack was placed on IR yesterday with a concussion). He’ll be up against Frederik Andersen, who goes for the Leafs.
-- Good matchup in Montreal, where Carey Price and the Habs host Craig Anderson and the Sens.
-- The Isles will give Jaroslav Halak the night off as they begin their West Coast road swing, and start Thomas Greiss in Anaheim. The Ducks look as though they’ll go with backup Jonathan Bernier.