With Justin Braun’s return to the lineup tonight, the Philadelphia Flyers have loaned defenseman Mark Friedman back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Orange and Black have been without two of their regular defensemen for the last five games, but with Braun’s return the Flyers will head into a game with their ideal top four intact for the first time since January 4th.
Friedman may have made his NHL debut in last year’s regular season finale, but this stretch of games was his first real taste of the National. He grabbed an assist and had one of his four shot attempts hit the net while averaging 13:01 of ice time in the five games he helped the Orange and Black on their blue line in the absence of Braun and Shayne Gostisbehere.