Flyers Fighting Experience versus Youth

After going on the road to start the season, the Flyers return home having stolen 3 points from the Blues and Pens. Now the Wells Fargo Center, formerly known as the First Union Center, or the Wachovia Center, will see it's first regular season action.

Last time these two teams met the Avs won 5-4 on the scoring hands of David Jones and Paul Stastny. These two teams have changed drastically since last season however. The Avs started at last year's trade deadline trading long time winger Wojtek Wolski tothe Phoenix Coyotes for former 1st round pick Peter Mueller. Not any notable additions in the offseason, but they did lose 4th liners Stephane Yelle and Darcy Tucker, as well as winger Marek Svatos.

This Avalanche team is stacked at center with Paul Stastny(24 years old), Matt Duchene(19), Ryan O'Reilly(19), and Kevin Porter(24). Youth is the key factor in how this team wins with great young scorers like Chris Stewart(22) and TJ Galiardi(22), however it's the veteran Milan Hejduk(34) that the Flyers defense should have their eyes on all night. Hejduk has withstood the rebuild in Colorado and has been with the team since the days of Sakic, Forsberg, and Roy. He tallied 23 gaols and 44 points on 56 games last season and has a knack for scoring big goals.

On defense the Avs are led by veterans Adam Foote and J.M. Liles, who are backed by youngsters Ryan Wilson and Kyle Quincey. WIlson, who was acquired in a trade with the Flames 2 seasons ago, was a team leading positive 13 last season while grabbing up 21 points in 61 games. Also keep a look out to see if 2007 entry draft's 17th overall pick, Kevin Shattenkirk is in the line-up. Shattenkirk was a captain at Boston Uninversity by his junior year and has exceptional puck handling skills and vision.

When you're talking about the Mountain Boys, you have to talk about Craig Anderson. Anderson bounced around early in his career after being drafted by the Blackhawks. After a great season backing up Tomas Vokoun with the Florida Panthers in 2008-09, Anderson hit the free agent market. He was quickly grabbed up by the Avs who soon turned him into their number one goalie. Anderson has now become one of the league's best goalie and his contributions to the Avs are often compared to Ilya Bryzgalov's in Phoenix. The 29 year old is known to be able to take over the game and steal wins with his unbelievable stamina and focus. As evident by his 5th overall finish in Vezina (best goalie in the NHL) voting last season, where he finished with a Goals Against Average of 2.64.

The Flyers have started hot getting 3 out of a possible 4 points on their mini road trip through St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Danny Briere scored both of the Flyers 1st goals in their opening week, and now looks to tally his 3rd of the year tonight. The defense has looked a load different with out Pronger in the line-up. However this has helped the Flyers relay the message to the fans of why they loaded up the back end as Bartulis and O'Donnell have been liablities at times.

The goaltending has been solid between Bobrovsky's opening win versus the Pens and Boucher's stellar performance where he kept the Flyers in their last game versus the Blues where they had surrendered 9 unfavorable, odd man advantages. Tonight Sergei "Bobs" Bobrovsky will get his second career start in net tonight and will look to keep or better his 2.00 GAA.

Projected Depth Chart
Carter Richards Carcillo...Timonen Coburn...Bobrovsky Boucher
Leino Briere Hartnell...Meszaros Carle
Riemsdyk Giroux Zherdev... Bartulis O'Donnell
Powe Betts Shelley

Players to Watch
Flyers
Danny Briere: Leads the team with 2 goals through 2 games.
James van Riemsdyk: After being crushed by David Perron last game he says he is fine. Watch to see how much he's out there and how effective he is.

Avs
Paul Statsny: is the new version of Joe Sakic, had 2 goals including the Game tying and winning goals in their opener versus the Blackhawks.
Adam Foote: the rugged veteran should have some fun with the flight of foot Flyers forwards. Watch out when he starts throwing his body around.

Game's at 7pm EST live from Phialdephia. Coverage can be seen on CSN or 610 WIP (AM).