Flyers leaning on Staal-Ristolainen pairing for leadership, to set an example for younger players

The pairing of Rasmus Ristolainen and Marc Staal will get another look on Monday night when the Flyers’ home-and-home series with the Pittsburgh Penguins concludes at Wells Fargo Center.

It’s not a duo that coach John Tortorella is planning on sticking with night in and night out or long term. After all, Egor Zamula is waiting in the press box as a healthy scratch for the second straight game. But having veterans on the third defensive pair, and two guys at 6-foot-4 each, has been an element the bench boss appreciates having with a young blue line.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ penalty kill dominating with blocked shots, solid structure

“We’re developing, right? We’re going to continue to develop,” Tortorella said. “But when you’re in the heat of the action and you get down in the third period, eight, nine minutes left, maybe protecting the lead, whatever it may be, it’s nice to be able to lean on guys like that, especially with the length they have.”

Staal and Ristolainen have played a combined 1,796 NHL games, with Staal owning an eye-popping 1,110 of that total. That’s two guys who have certainly seen it all. As Tortorella said, it gives assistant coach Brad Shaw an option to have guys that he can use when the Flyers are trying to win a game and “not kind of hold his breath” when a younger defenseman is out there and still learning how to handle high-pressure situations.

They also know how to position themselves properly. Sure, Staal is turning 37 next month and Ristolainen has missed time with a lower-body injury, but the thing is, veteran guys know how to better put themselves in positions to succeed even if they may be a step behind. In just under 38 minutes of ice time together, they have been on the ice for one goal at five-on-five with an expected goals-against of 0.95, per Natural Stat Trick.

Tortorella is hoping it’s something his younger blueliners can pick up, especially from Ristolainen, who brings a calmness to the game.

“He turned the corner the other night, I forget who it was against, he just moved his legs and it was right inside our blue line, and bang we’re on the transition to offense,” Tortorella said keying in on a moment from Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Penguins.

“It’s because he moved his legs. When he first started here, at least when I first saw him, he was awful because he was stuck. And a defenseman that can watch him, what he’s doing now, is Z [Zamula] because Z gets stuck. He doesn’t move his legs and that puts him in so many tough, tough situations.”

Ristolainen may just be 29 but he’s already in his 11th NHL season. The Finn is feeling better and better despite missing the first 20 games of the season. And although he “loves” playing with Staal, he knows his role with the young defensive corps.

“I just try to show my work ethic and, even though there are a lot of young guys, they’re playing really well and been around for a little bit now. But, I mean, if I see something [I] try to sort of help them or just ask them and talk to them and make them comfortable,” Ristolainen said.

The Flyers are going to play their game. That’s a fact, per Tortorella. But they are set to face a Penguins team they saw 48 hours ago.

“We’re not going to overthink it. I know we’re going to get a better Pittsburgh team tonight, they’re going to be much better tonight,” Tortorella said. “So that’s the key for us is, in these home-and-home things, one thing that happens, if you lose your home game and you’re the home team there’s a heck of a lot more urgency when you go to the other teams building.

“They’re going to be ready to come tonight. And so we just gotta be, it’s not making adjustments, it’s being ready to play. I think we’re going to have to play faster tonight because I think they’re going to amp it up.”

The Penguins did just that across the third period and overtime, putting a combined 21 shots on goal after only getting 11 through the first two periods. But the Flyers also kept them at bay on the power play, killing off all five chances Sidney Crosby and Co. got — even netting a short-handed goal in the process.

Carter Hart gets the start in net against the Penguins. He has a 4-5-2 record in 12 career games against the Penguins with a 3.46 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. ... Louie Belpedio was placed on waivers Monday afternoon. The defenseman has been a healthy scratch for the past six games. Tortorella said on Friday the team was planning on calling up a forward for the eight-day road trip that begins on Tuesday when the team heads to Arizona. ... Beginning Monday night, fans can bring a toy to games for the Flyers Toy Drive presented by Enterprise. During all home games, between now and Dec. 21, donation bins will be placed at the main entrance to Wells Fargo for fans to drop off a new and unwrapped toy for children.