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NHL on NBCSN: Flyers won’t fool with Penguins on Rivalry Night

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers

NHLI via Getty Images

NBCSN will continue its coverage of the 2014-15 campaign tonight as the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers at the Consol Energy Center to kick off Wednesday’s doubleheader, with coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. In addition to NBCSN, you can also watch the game and pre-show online.

The Philadelphia Flyers are already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, yet the Pittsburgh Penguins probably know all too well not to take their local rivals lightly.

If the history between the two franchises wasn’t already enough, the Flyers won the two teams’ previous two games so far in 2014-15 and are currently riding a six-game winning streak against the Penguins stretching back to last season.

In a sports age where athletes are increasingly chummy with each other, the animosity feels pretty real between these two teams.

That seems most apparent when Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin take on Flyers stars like Claude Giroux. You get the impression that Giroux “kicks it up a notch” against the Penguins, and it often makes for great hockey theater.

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Both teams are dealing with some injury issues, particularly to their defensive groups.

Luke Schenn’s season is toast for the Flyers. It’s hard to imagine Kris Versteeg or Christian Ehrhoff getting in the Penguins’ lineup on Wednesday, so a forward might need to slide back to the Pittsburgh blueline to give the team three different pairings (otherwise, they might have to roll with five defensemen).

Pittsburgh hopes to build some breathing room against the New York Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, but they know all too well that the Flyers won’t make it easy.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins