Flyers Seek First Win
Winless Philadelphia Flyers Face Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday Night
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Key Points
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Philadelphia opened the season with a 7-0 home loss to Pittsburgh, then lost 3-2 in overtime to both New Jersey and Carolina; the Flyers have scored four goals and allowed 13 across those games.
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Projected Philadelphia starter Joseph Woll has stopped 78 of 84 shots (.929 save percentage) in two starts, including 37 of 40 in Saturday’s overtime loss to Carolina. The alternative, Dan Vladar, allowed seven goals on 38 shots in the season opener.
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Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 2.59 goals-against average through two starts and shut out Philadelphia in Tampa last November, according to the article.
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FanDuel listed Tampa Bay at -200 on the moneyline and Philadelphia at +164, with the Lightning -1.5 at +130 and the Flyers +1.5 at -162; its 5.5-goal total was priced at -132 for the over and +108 for the under.
The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night as Philadelphia looks to avoid falling further into an early-season hole. The Flyers opened their season with a brutal 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh, then dropped back-to-back overtime games to New Jersey and Carolina—a stretch that has left them winless and outshot badly. NBC Philadelphia reported that Philadelphia has scored just four goals while allowing 13 across those three games.
Tampa Bay arrives off a home win over Washington and sits as the betting favorite at -200 on the moneyline, according to Sports Illustrated. The Lightning have won their last matchup against Philadelphia convincingly, and backup goaltender Joseph Woll—likely Philadelphia's starter—has been the team's bright spot so far, posting a .929 save percentage across two starts.
Philadelphia's Dismal Start and Overtime Heartbreak
The Flyers' season began with a shocking 7-0 home defeat to Pittsburgh on opening night. Things got only slightly better in their next two games: back-to-back overtime losses to New Jersey and Carolina that left the team at 0-3. CBS News noted that the Flyers managed just one goal in Saturday's overtime loss to the Hurricanes, despite goaltender Joseph Woll stopping 37 of 40 shots.
Philadelphia has yet to record a power-play goal this season and faces a difficult schedule. The Flyers are playing their fourth game in six nights, and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen remains day-to-day with an injury. The combination of heavy workload, poor offensive output, and defensive struggles has created an early crisis for the team.
Woll's Strong Play Cannot Mask Team Struggles
Joseph Woll has been nearly elite in net for Philadelphia despite the team's losses. In his two starts, he has stopped 78 of 84 shots for a .929 save percentage—well above league average. Against Carolina on Saturday, he made 37 saves on 40 shots in the overtime defeat, keeping the Flyers competitive when the rest of the team could not produce offensively.
Backup goaltender Dan Vladar offers little comfort. He allowed seven goals on 38 shots in the season opener against Pittsburgh. The Flyers have not confirmed their starter for Monday, but Woll appears likely to get another chance to steal a game his team desperately needs.
Vasilevskiy Locks Down Home Ice for Lightning
Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy has been steady if not dominant in net, posting a 2.59 goals-against average through two starts. More importantly, Sports Illustrated reported that he shut out Philadelphia in Tampa last November, giving the Lightning confidence heading into Monday's matchup. He will likely start again as the team aims to build on its win over Washington.
FanDuel set the betting lines with Tampa Bay at -200 on the moneyline, making them clear favorites at home. The Lightning sit at -1.5 on the puck line at +130 odds. The game's total was set at 5.5 goals, with the over favored at -132. Philadelphia enters at +164 on the moneyline and +1.5 at -162.
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