PHILADELPHIA – Flyers forward Tyson Foerster suffered a minor foot injury late in Saturday night’s game against Seattle and was scratched for Monday night’s game against Arizona but the Flyers are hoping to have him back in time for Saturday’s outdoor game against the New Jersey Devils in East Rutherford, N.J.
Prior to Monday night, Foerster had played in all but one of the Flyers’ 53 games, posting 10 goals/21 points with a plus-3.
>Home games improving
After two recent victories on home ice, the Flyers finally got their record back up over .500 at 13-12-2 after a 3-2 win over the Kraken.
Prior to the pair of wins, the Flyers had dropped four straight games at the Wells Fargo Center and had been outscored in those matches by a 24-12 margin.
“For us, I think it’s just been our starts at home,” Farabee said. “The games we’ve lost at home is because we’ve had bad starts. We were giving up the first goal of the game but the last two (at home, before the Coyotes game) we’ve scored first. It gives us a lot of momentum and gets the crowd into it, too. I think we’ve had some great crowds the last few games. It’s a lot of fun when the Flyers fans are going nuts.”
>Good connection
Farabee and center Morgan Frost have been developing some good chemistry. It’s a pairing which might see time together, both now and down the road.
“One hundred percent,” Farabee said. “All of three of us, including Cam (Atkinson) are similar players I would say. We just try to move the puck, get open and try to create space for each other. That definitely helps with the offense. We didn’t get on the scoresheet the last game but the chances we got I feel helped build momentum.”
>Which side for Sanheim?
Travis Sanheim, a lefty shooting defenseman, has been playing both sides of the ice this season and Tortorella said he believes the right side is where the backliner is most effective.
“I think he (Sanheim) has been inconsistent but he’s still playing better than last year,” Tortorella said. “As we keep going here, in the big picture, I’d like to see him fall back on the right side. I think he’s a better player there.
“We have work to do with Jamie, understanding our coverages. He’s 21. He’s going to get stronger, closing things out. But with Jamie (on the right), I don’t think that puts Travis in his strongest spot.”
>Keeping defensemen active
>Trusting Frost
Although he’s been benched a few times this season, Frost seems to be earning more trust from Tortorella these days. Frost entered Monday night’s game with 25 points in 42 games with a plus-8.
“He played good the last game (Seattle),” the coach said. “He’s one who’s been up and down a little bit. He’s been more consistent making plays. I thought he checked really well that last game.
“The thing I like about his game is he’s attacking the middle of the ice with the puck more. He used to be on the outside a lot. I think he’s taking people on, bringing people to the middle of the ice. You bring pucks to the middle of the ice, a lot of things can happen.”
