The Philadelphia Flyers will try to post a three-game winning streak for the first time since the opening week of the season, as they host the rival New Jersey Devils tonight at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers began the year with three consecutive wins from Oct. 6-12 before losing five of their next seven games. Philadelphia has since rebounded from the slump with victories over Carolina and Buffalo.
New Jersey has not fared well recently, dropping three straight and five of its last six contests. Not even the return of Martin Brodeur to the crease could get the Devils a win their last time out, as Toronto notched a 5-3 victory in Newark on Wednesday.
The Devils have also struggled in recent matchups with the Flyers. Philadelphia downed its Atlantic Division foes, 3-0, in New Jersey on Oct. 8, giving the Flyers wins in four of six and seven of the last 10 meetings in this series. New Jersey has also lost eight of its last 10 games in the City of Brotherly Love.
Brodeur's appearance on Wednesday was his first since suffering an injury to his right shoulder on Oct. 13. It did not go well, as Joffrey Lupul had a hat trick to spur Toronto to the road victory.
Brodeur, the NHL's all-time leader in wins and shutouts, stopped just 18-of-23 shots in the loss. Johan Hedberg, who started six straight games in Brodeur's absence, is expected to get the call tonight.
"For me it was a big test to go through the game," Brodeur said. "I definitely would've liked a better result. I didn't play well at all, but at least I got my game under my belt and that was important for me."
Dainius Zubrus, Patrik Elias and David Clarkson scored for New Jersey in Wednesday's setback.
The Flyers used a big first period to get a win Wednesday in Buffalo. Scott Hartnell's goal capped a three-goal outburst in the first seven minutes and Philadelphia held on for a 3-2 win at First Niagara Center.
Sean Couturier and James van Riemsdyk scored goals 13 seconds apart less than two minutes into the game and Hartnell tallied a goal at the 6:23 mark of the first.
Ilya Bryzgalov let in two fluky goals, but finished the game with 29 saves. Sergei Bobrovsky could get the start tonight for the Flyers.
The Flyers played without forward Danny Briere for the second straight game on Wednesday, but he could return from a upper body injury tonight.
Rookie Matt Read also missed Wednesday's test with an upper body injury and is questionable for this evening. Defenseman Chris Pronger is still out with an eye injury and will miss his fifth straight game.
The Devils are 2-3-0 as the visiting club this season, while Philly has recorded a 3-3-1 mark on home ice.
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