Wild at Flyers
Jakub Voracek has recorded back-to-back multi-point performances and eight this season as the Philadelphia Flyers' top line continues to produce a significant percentage of the team's offense. Voracek, Sean Couturier and captain Claude Giroux look to keep surging ahead on Saturday as the Flyers conclude their three-game stretch at Wells Fargo Center with the opener of a home-and-home series versus the Minnesota Wild.
All three members of the line scored a goal and Voracek and Giroux each added a pair of assists in Philadelphia's 3-1 triumph over Chicago, improving the club to 2-0-1 in its last three games. Voracek has collected 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the last eight contests overall and scored two goals and set up another as the Flyers swept last season's two-game series versus the Wild. Jason Zucker bettered his two-goal performance in Wednesday's 4-2 setback at Toronto by netting a natural hat trick the following night as Minnesota snapped a three-game skid with a 3-0 win at Montreal. "I'll take them any way I can get them," the 25-year-old Zucker said. "I guarantee I've never done that (score five times in two games). It's nice to get that, but we've got to regroup and get ready for our next game in Philly."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), NBCSN Philadelphia-Plus
ABOUT THE WILD (6-7-2): Devan Dubnyk turned aside all 41 shots he faced on Thursday for his first shutout of the season and 25th career, improving his save percentage to .933 in his past six starts. The 31-year-old Saskatchewan native hasn't been as fortunate versus Philadelphia, dropping both encounters last season to see his career record against the club fall to 2-5-1. Eric Staal notched a pair of assists against the Flyers last season, increasing his career total to 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 50 contests.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (8-6-2): Couturier has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his last eight games overall, and perhaps more importantly earned the respect of Giroux with the way he plays away from the puck. "He's a really smart player," Giroux told Philly.com. "So he's good at finding ways to get open, finding air. ... Hey, make sure you don't tell him I said he was smart, OK?" Couturier scored in Philadelphia's 3-1 win at Minnesota on March 23 and fellow forward Wayne Simmonds had two assists versus the Wild last season, giving him 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 21 career encounters.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia G Brian Elliott turned aside 38 shots on Thursday to improve his save percentage to .934 in his last four starts. He sports a 9-2-0 mark with two shutouts in 13 career games against Minnesota.
2. Wild RW Nino Niederreiter has scored two goals and set up two others in six games since returning from a high ankle sprain.
3. The line of Couturier, Giroux and Voracek has totaled 23 goals and 60 points in 16 games, putting the unit second in the NHL.