Flyers Skate Update: Dave Hakstol shakes up power-play units

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To say the Flyers' power play is struggling right now would be quite the understatement.

The man-advantage, while still 11th in the league with a 20.3 percent success rate, is mired in a miserable 2-for-26 funk over the last six games.

Those struggles are magnified as the Flyers -- seven points behind the New York Islanders with three teams to jump and 14 games remaining -- see their playoff hopes grow more faint with each passing day.

Desperate for any kind of spark on the man-advantage, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol and his staff have switched up the power-play units ahead of Wednesday night's showdown with Pittsburgh.

Rookie defenseman Ivan Provorov has been bumped up to the top unit next to Shayne Gostisbehere on the blue line, while Jake Voracek will now man the point next to Michael Del Zotto on the second unit.

"We'll have some different options that are available for tonight," Hakstol said of his power-play units. "That’s on us to find a way to beat the pressure and do a little bit better job."

These changes come 48 hours after the Flyers' lackluster 1-for-8 showing on the power play against Columbus in an eventual 5-3 loss, which saw the Blue Jackets add a late empty-net goal. Had the Flyers converted one or two more of those eight chances, the story could have been entirely different on Monday night instead of another drop down the standings.

"We had a couple good looks with eight power plays," Voracek said. "We scored only one goal. It doesn’t matter what we did or didn’t do.

"It’s a little different look, so we’ll see how we react tonight. We’ve got different looks, different players, different setups. So we’ll see."

"I think when you put Jake on the other unit, I think we have two really good power plays," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. "Hopefully, it will be good for us."

The most notable change is Provorov's shift to the top unit. It's a spot he played a few weeks ago but didn't have too many chances or too much practice time to settle into.

But still, he's familiar with the role, so he's not worried about adjustments or challenges.

"It should be fun," the 20-year-old said. "We’ll try to create as much as we can with every opportunity we have and we’ll try to get pucks to the net. ... Sometimes it’s good to throw something different at them."

Wednesday's game could be a prime opportunity to get the power play going because the Penguins, despite all their strengths, have a penalty kill that ranks just 20th in the league.

The Penguins are also dealing with injuries. Forwards Patric Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin are out, as are defensemen Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Trevor Daley.

Plus, the Pens are coming off a long four-game swing through Western Canada and have had to deal with travel issues (more on that last part below).

Are the Flyers catching them at the right time?

"At the same time, it's about us. It's not about them," Giroux said. "We have to focus on our game.

"They're always great games when we play them, especially at home. They're pretty high intensity. They’re fun to play. The excitement is in here. We’re not in a position we want to be, but it’s not over yet."

Streit questionable in return
Former Flyers defenseman Mark Streit, traded from the Flyers to Tampa then from Tampa to Pittsburgh on deadline day, is back in town with the Penguins.

But he will be a game-time decision tonight after leaving Monday’s game in Calgary with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot. Streit was taken to a Calgary hospital for tests before he was released.

He did participate in Pittsburgh's morning skate on Wednesday, though.

Back in black
For those of you who like the Flyers' black uniforms they wore for the Stadium Series game at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field a few weeks ago, here's a tidbit you'll enjoy: The Flyers will be wearing them again tonight against the Penguins.

Late-arriving Pens
You're not the only person whose day was thrown awry by Tuesday's winter storm.

The Penguins were scheduled to fly to Philadelphia after their 4-3 shootout loss in Calgary on Monday night. That wasn't possible thanks to Mother Nature, so the Penguins flew home to Pittsburgh instead and then flew into Philadelphia this morning.

With the hectic schedule, Penguins players helped the team's equipment staff unload everything when the team arrived at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday morning. Superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were seen pushing equipment crates and bags down the hallways of the arena.

Projected lineup
Dale Weise will draw back in for the Flyers Wednesday as Jordan Weal will miss the contest with a lower-body injury (see story). Weal is considered day to day.

Nick Cousins is also expected in the lineup after he was a healthy scratch Monday against the Jackets.

Steve Mason will start in net for the Flyers. He’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh's Matt Murray, who stifled the Flyers with 36 saves in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 win outdoors at Heinz Field on Feb. 25.

With the changes in mind, here's our best guess for Wednesday night's line combinations:

F: Brayden Schenn-Claude Giroux-Wayne Simmonds

Travis Konecny-Valterri Filppula-Jake Voracek

Nick Cousins-Sean Couturier-Dale Weise

Matt Read-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Chris VandeVelde

D: Ivan Provorov-Andrew MacDonald

Michael Del Zotto-Radko Gudas

Shayne Gostisbehere-Nick Schultz

G: Steve Mason

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