After three straight outings, goaltender Jake Oettinger will get some rest.
DALLAS - Goaltender Scott Wedgewood will make his season debut against the Flyers tonight at the American Airlines Center. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m. CT.
That means that Jake Oettinger will get a well-deserved break after starting three games in a row and posting a 2-0-1 record, along with a 1.58 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage.
Following the morning skate, head coach Pete DeBoer spoke about the decision to give Wedgewood the opportunity to face Philadelphia.
“It’s nice to be able to play him at home. A lot of times those guys don’t get a home game very often. Usually they’re stuck in the back-to-back on the road in the toughest matchups, so it's nice for him to get a home game,” said DeBoer. “We want to get Wedgie involved here early. I think he had a great camp… and we want to make sure he stays in some type of rhythm.”
Wedgewood, 31, spent the games versus the Blues, Golden Knights and Ducks watching Oettinger go about his business and impress to the tune of 82 saves on 87 shots.
At this point, he’s prepared for anything John Tortorella’s contingent throws his way. The Flyers, who are riding a two-game winning streak, are currently averaging 33 shots on goal per game.
“I like to work. It doesn’t really scare me. You’ve got a shooting team in Philly that likes to put pucks on net, and usually when I do get in there, that’s kind of the tale of tape that I’ve been accustomed to,” explained Wedgewood. “Jake’s had to hold his own and give us life through the first period in Anaheim, and obviously stay strong through the St. Louis and Vegas games. Any one of those games could've been different without him in there, but that’s kind of the role of our position. You want to be a hero. Obviously, you hope your team scores some goals, but the way he’s played, it’s some big shoes to fill. Going in there, you like to work, make some big saves, and make some kind of momentum-swinging moments. It’s fun. You can’t shy away from it.”
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