Senators at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers galloped back into contention with wins in eight of nine contests before their defense sprung a leak to throw them from the saddle during their current three-game losing skid. The Flyers look to get back on track on Saturday afternoon when they welcome the Ottawa Senators to the Wells Fargo Center.
"It's about getting back on the horse. There's a lot of hockey left," Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere told the Philadelphia Inquirer after seeing his team fail to hold leads in each of its last two games and surrender 14 goals total during its losing streak. Gostisbehere registered his first multi-point performance since Dec. 16 when he scored and set up a goal during Thursday's 4-3 setback at New Jersey. While Philadelphia is in the midst of a three-game skid, Ottawa was in little mood to celebrate on Thursday despite ending its six-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime victory versus Anaheim. Bobby Ryan will be sidelined for the fourth time this season after aggravating a hand injury, with coach Guy Boucher telling reporters that the 30-year-old is ruled out for the team's weekend games and that "he's seeing a specialist now and we'll know the extent of it."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, NHL Network, RDS,2, TSN5 (Ottawa), NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE SENATORS (16-24-9): Captain Erik Karlsson set up a goal before scoring in overtime on Thursday to increase his point total to nine (two goals, seven assists) in his past 11 games. The two-time Norris Trophy recipient has 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 24 career encounters with Philadelphia, including a pair of assists in Ottawa's 5-4 triumph on Oct. 26. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a goal and set up two others in that contest, although he has just two points in his last 13 outings overall.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-19-8): Philadelphia's penalty kill has been suspect at best, permitting four power-play goals in seven opportunities since the team returned from the All-Star break. The Flyers have surrendered 13 goals in 36 chances while short-handed since the new calendar year, dropping their season efficiency mark to an NHL third-worst 73.9 percent. "We have to be better. Whether it's a stick in the lane, an angle, disrupting a breakout, we have to be better all around," general manager Ron Hextall told Philly.com. "When you're where we are at the bottom of the league, there's more than just one little thing that needs to be better."
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia C Travis Konecny, who scored and set up a goal in the last encounter versus Ottawa, has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his last seven games.
2. Senators RW Colin White replaced Ryan and practice on a line with LW Mike Hoffman and C Matt Duchene on Friday.
3. Flyers RW Jakub Voracek set up two goals versus the Devils to increase his NHL-leading assist total to 50 while giving him 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in the past 12 games.