Hurricanes at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers saw their eight-game point streak come to a halt against a team that had won just three of its previous 19 contests. The Flyers look to avert a similar result versus a club that has emerged victorious in eight of its last 22 when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.
"We played all year trying to be in the playoffs, and now we have a good chance of making it -- but we've got to earn it first," said Giroux, who padded his career-high goal (30) and assist (67) totals with one of each in Tuesday's 5-4 setback against the New York Islanders. The 30-year-old is riding an eight-game point streak and has at least one point in 16 of his last 17 (eight goals, 15 assists) -- save for a 4-2 win over Carolina on March 17. Philadelphia resides two points behind Keystone State rival Pittsburgh and Columbus for second place in the Metropolitan Division, one back of New Jersey for the top wild card in the Eastern Conference and four in front of upstart Florida for the final one. Carolina has been reduced to spoiler, a role with which it's familiar as it will miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (35-34-11): Sebastian Aho has recorded team-leading totals in goals (28) and points (64) during his sophomore season, with one and three, respectively, coming against Philadelphia. Despite the impressive totals, the 20-year-old Finn eschewed discussing personal milestones with Carolina limping toward the end of another fruitless season. "It's hard to think about your own game when the team loses," Aho told the Raleigh News & Observer. "That's one thing I really want to change. I can’t be satisfied with my own game when the team is losing."
ABOUT THE FLYERS (40-26-14): Coach Dave Hakstol will have a decision to make as in-season goaltending acquisition Petr Mrazek (6-63, 3.22 goals-against average, .891 save percentage) has posted pedestrian numbers at best while rookie Alex Lyon (4-2-1, 2.75, .905) has been a few shades better. Hakstol failed to show his hand at Wednesday's practice, but veteran Brian Elliott did not rule out the possibility of returning versus Carolina following a near-two month-long absence from core muscle surgery. "(It's an) ongoing process, and you keep evaluating it every day. It's a process," said the 32-year-old Elliott, who made 27 saves in a 2-1 win over the Hurricanes on Feb. 6.
OVERTIME
1. Giroux, who has a career-high 97 points, needs three more over the last two contests to become the first Flyers player to reach the century mark since Eric Lindros (1995-96).
2. Carolina C Derek Ryan scored in Monday's 3-2 loss to Florida to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists).
3. Flyers D Shayne Gostisbehere has 10 points (two goals, eight) in the past eight contests.