Flyers finish trip against Sharks

If the Flyers are to return to Philadelphia 3-0 on this road trip, they will have to get through the obstacle that is the San Jose Sharks. The task won't nearly be as hard, as last year's top goal scorer Jonathan Cheechoo will miss tonight's game with a leg injury that will keep him out day-to-day. With the Sharks being 14-6, there is no reason to risk Cheechoo this early in the season. Nonetheless, the Flyers will still have to deal with Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Milan Michalek. Marleau already has 23 points, and Michalek and Thornton each have 22.

The Flyers will have the tough task of shutting down the league's number one power play tonight as well. The Sharks, at 23.8% on the man advantage, have distanced themselves from 2nd place Minnesota by 2.2%. So what do the Flyers have going for them? The league's 5th best penalty kill. Last year, the Flyers were 27th in the league in the kill.

The Sharks are coming off a victory on Wednesday night against the Avalanche on the road. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 40 of the 43 shots fired on him en route to the 4-3 win for San Jose. Vesa Toskala, who has played in the other 11 games this year for the Sharks, is 9-2 with a 92.7% save percentage and a 2.16 GAA, will get the call tonight. If the Flyers can somehow get out of the HP Pavilion with a win tonight, they will truly be Calfornia Dreamin'.