The Best Highlight for the Philadelphia Flyers' Stars in 2014-15

As the new year begins, we are nearing the halfway point of the 2014-15 NHL season. The best players on the Philadelphia Flyers have already made some spectacular and memorable plays this season despite the up-and-down play of the team.

Here is a look at the best plays by the stars of the Philadelphia Flyers so far this season.

These plays were chosen for their individual brilliance, how clutch or important they were to the team at the time and how unusual they are. Two very prominent players are actually represented twice because the plays merited inclusion.

Feel free to comment on any of the highlights featured here or to mention a highlight of your own that you feel belongs on this list. If possible, include a link to your highlight. As always, please indicate why you feel the way you do.

A big save is always great, but when it comes against a rival like Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's even better.

Ray Emery got his skate out there to stop this shot just before it crossed the goal line. 

Michael Raffl is showing increasing flashes of offensive ability, especially when he's played on the top line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek.

Here he shows excellent patience in putting a pretty backhand behind Cary Price of the Montreal Canadiens.

Rookie Scott Laughton is a hard worker with great natural ability. His hard work finally paid off when he scored his first NHL goal against the Carolina Hurricanes. The look of joy on Laughton's face is priceless.

Goalie Steve Mason shows off his quick glove hand to stop this short-handed breakaway attempt by the always dangerous Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks.

Brayden Schenn scored this exciting overtime goal on a breakaway. He didn't get any bonus points for putting Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick into the goal with the puck.

This goal gave the Flyers a win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Great plays go beyond goals and hard hits. Sometimes, a defenseman makes a great defensive play that deserves recognition.

Here, the underrated Nick Schultz makes a quick kick save against the Tampa Bay Lightning to save a goal.

Nicklas Grossmann doesn't score often, but this goal is worth watching. Grossmann banked this puck into the goal off the back boards, off the goalie and into the net.

There wasn't much Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Jonathan Bernier could do.

Claude Giroux has been one of the best players in the league this season, and this goal shows one reason why. The Flyers captain scores a goal-scorer's goal, beating goalie Reto Berra to the short side just before the period expires.

This goal gave the Flyers momentum in their 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. 

Wayne Simmonds scores a big goal to tie the game with 1.8 seconds left against the Anaheim Ducks.

Like many of Simmonds' goals, this one came in the dirty area in front of the opposing team's crease. Simmonds worked hard for position and put the rebound into the net while falling to the ice. 

Steve Mason comes up big here against the Edmonton Oilers despite losing his stick. 

The Flyers were short-handed and gave the puck away, but Mason stopped Nail Yakupov to keep the Oilers from scoring.

Jakub Voracek has been at or near the top of the league in points nearly all season. This goal shows off some of his outstanding skills.

First, Voracek faked out three Anaheim Ducks defenders to set up a scoring chance. He later got the puck back and cut to the net to lift a backhander into the goal to tie the game.

Captain Claude Giroux shows off his skills in this shootout goal against Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen.

Giroux fakes out Andersen, gets him to commit and then lifts the puck over his pads and into the vacated goal.